Reasons Not For Your Ears
by Aiiro Hoshi
Summary: AU: Edward and Alphonse Elric hate each other; enough to promise the others' death by their own hands. Winry Rockbell accidentally falls into their line of conflict as she attempts to close the rift between them, and discovers secrets better left hidden.
1. Prologue

**Brief Commentary:**  
Revised! Yes, I'll be revising a lot of these chapters, seeing as I found some of them to be incredibly cheesy and just plain dumb, besides. I figured I'd start with the prologue and see what I could do here – I expect it to be at least a little better! At least there's a lot more detail, not to mention it's longer. Maybe some of you oldies familiar with the story could PM me/send a review and tell me how I did? Ha ha...

Side Note: This stemmed from my realization that in all of the AU fics, Ed and Al still share a brotherly bond. So, I asked myself, what if they hated each other? So deeply they were willing to kill each other? This is the result.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Prologue  
_

"I wish you had never been born."

Edward Elric, at the naïve age of four, stared up at his mother in confusion and befuddlement. She towered over him, cradling his younger sibling, who was either two or three (he had forgotten). Her eyes, which he had witnessed before as being warm and affectionate when she spoke to or saw Alphonse Elric, were now frighteningly cold, and her posture showed all possible signs of rejection. Rejection for_ him_. Although he understood the words she had spoken, he didn't know what to make of them.

Stiffly, Trisha Elric passed him, gently patting Alphonse's back as he let out a quiet gurgle. Edward knew he should be quiet; his brother was almost asleep, and he would be harshly scolded if he disturbed him. Like any obedient child reluctant to anger his mother, the small golden-haired boy shuffled down the long hall way to his room, opened the door, went inside, and quietly shut it. Sitting on his bed, soft as it was, did nothing to comfort him or calm the thoughts battering at his mind.

His mother never seemed happy. When he was around her, anyway. When he would stay up late and spy on his parents and the sleeping Alphonse, Edward would find a kindly, happy smile dancing across his mother's lips, and a genuine joy in the eyes of his father. His father…he had hardly ever spoken to him in his life. Perhaps a 'Good morning, chichi-ue,' or a 'Good night, chichi-ue,' but other wise, there had been no dialogue between them. In return, the small boy would be greeted with a severe glare, a low grunt, or a haughty turn of his father's head, before one of them would disappear around a corner or down a hall, or through a door. Edward found he could not understand his parent's behavior.

It confused him even more when he witnessed Alphonse being treated so differently. His mother would hold his younger brother tenderly and carefully, placing soft kisses on his forehead and humming comforting, unfamiliar songs at night to lull him to sleep. His father would smile quietly and ruffle his second son's hair, muttering words of pride, such as "You'll be so successful when you grow up" or "You'll make me and your mother so proud." He couldn't recall any of this happening to him.

At four, Edward did not know what jealousy was, so he couldn't envy Alphonse for receiving their parents' attention. In fact, he felt little-to-nothing for him. Alphonse seemed to behave a bit like the china dolls their mother kept in a high shelf in her closet. Always, the infant would remain quiet (with the exception of when he was hungry or needed a change), still, and stupid-looking. And from the tenderness he received from their parents, they certainly treated Alphonse similar to such. Often times Edward would sneak into his brother's room (which was much, much larger than his) and whisper,  
"You're like a doll. Aren't you? Are you a baby? Or are you a doll?"

That was the Elric family.

That was how they lived.

Over the passing of years, Trisha Elric died when her two sons were at the ages of ten and nine. The brothers and their father were dressed in their finest, although Edward had been, literally, segregated from his only two familiar relatives. While Alphonse and their father stood solemnly up right in front of their mother's coffin, he had been forced to the very back of the crowd, where he couldn't even see the grass a meter in front of him. Edward Elric did not witness the burial of his mother, nor the movement of his father's lips as he announced that his sons would no longer be under his care. Instead, they would remain in the mansion, but an associate of his would move in and attend to their "needs." Their father was to move to some distant city. He wouldn't return from that city for many, many years.

Most had considered Trisha Elric's sudden death suicide after she had been killed in a freak car accident. The man driving the truck had evidently gotten away. The cause of the alleged suicide was, predictably, placed on the shoulders on none other than Edward Elric. The public had often seen displays of Trisha's behavior towards her sons, and the great diversity of it, and found that it would only be appropriate to treat them in the same way.

It was not uncommon for the older Elric to hear the way they spoke of him or directly to him.

"You despicable, ungrateful child! Your mother cared so dearly for you, and yet you drive her to suicide!"

"I hate brats like him; he acts like he hasn't ever done anything bad in his life. I wonder if he thinks that his mother's death was just an accident? Stupid brat."

"Your mother loved you more than anyone! You damn child, why did you kill her?"

"Trisha hated Edward, and I can see why; after all, he-"  
"Quiet, you know we can't say anything about _that_!"  
"Right, sorry, I forgot…"

After a while, Edward lost interest in what 'that' could possibly be; it was probably as unpleasant as everything else he had heard. Unfortunately, that wasn't all outsiders would have to say to him.

"My, look at Alphonse's marks! Such a perfect child…but look at Edward's. The boy must be utterly stupid."

"See how well Alphonse has done on his exams! Did you hear? He received the highest score in his grade! But Edward…"

"Why can't you be more like Alphonse?"

Eventually the brothers grew in separate directions, diverging in paths they had some how come to know they would follow. Edward avoided going home when he could, and preferred to stay out on the streets. Besides his extreme habits of smoking, cursing, getting injured or injuring other people on a fairly regular biases, the word 'school' had long since disappeared from the boy's vocabulary. Widely regarded as dangerous, Edward was avoided at all costs by those who saw him. Alphonse, meanwhile, had grown into the role of the 'ideal son.' He was studious, strong, quiet, and obedient, received top marks, and was kind and courageous. Adults, adolescents, and children alike all had great respect for him, and would often turn to the younger Elric to ask for advice or help. As Alphonse preferred to stay inside the mansion when he was not at school, the brothers rarely saw each other. Perhaps it was better that way.

After all, they shared a mutual, dark hatred. Hatred was the only thing they shared, besides the vibrant golden color of their eyes. Their similar feelings would often lead to conflict whenever they saw each other, so their distinctive separation prevented such an undesirable situation for the majority of the time.

But they were the Elric brothers.

And that was how they lived.

But that way of living would begin change. For better or for worse.


	2. Chapter 1

**Brief Commentary:  
**Yay, another revised chapter. This one especially bothered me. -bashes it with soup can- Die, cheesiness, die! Ha ha...but perhaps listening to SexyBack wasn't the best way to get my creative juices flowing for the revision...er...if you find anything...odd...in this chapter...sue Justin Timberlake. Shun him. Not me. HIM. The music video for SexyBack is confusing as hell, so sue him for that, too.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**_  
Chapter One_

"Goddammit, I'm late!" a blonde-haired adolescent, at the ripe age of sixteen, gritted her teeth in frustration as she swung her right leg over her navy-blue bicycle and immediately pushed off onto the road. A book bag was slung carelessly over her shoulder, teetering its way down her arm until it began to sway on her wrist in rhythm to the jerks the bicycle made as it rode over the bumps on the street. This would be Winry Rockbell's first day attending a new high school in a new city, after moving into a cramped, old apartment. So far it was going down the toilet.

The school day originally started at 8:00 AM. Currently it was 8:23 AM. Winry had forgotten the reason she was running late in the first place, but she was definitely going to have to expect a scolding from whatever teacher she happened upon. Glaring a rather slow-moving pedestrian in front of her, the adolescent could hardly keep herself from shouting a rude,  
"MOVE YOUR MOTHER-FUGGING ASS, BITCH! I'M DAMN LATE FOR SCHOOL!"

Her grandmother would've said worse, she was sure.

Eventually the unsuspecting, innocent person turned a corner, and she was free to pedal at a much faster speed (she must've nearly hit a bus, two cars and nine people) as she attempted to find the street sign that would lead to the school. For a while she began to panic at the notion that she had gotten lost, until the sign, bearing the street name "Apple-Ringed Dog PKWY," came into view. At first, Winry stared at it, utterly stumped. Who the hell was in charge of naming the streets in the surrounding district? She squinted at the sign a little more. Who ever they were, they needed to hurry up and get fired. At least her own address was normal. "Black Lamp Road." Well...sure. Yeah, that was normal. Certainly, compared to "Apple-Ringed Dog PKWY."

After several minutes of unnecessary staring, Winry shook her head to clear it of such pointless thoughts and began to peddle again down the designated road, her stomach dropping in dread as the school pulled into view. It was big, intimidating, and...clean. As far as she could tell from thirty meters away. But there was no graffiti on the walls, no old gum or litter dotting the side walks, and trash cans were aligned with each other every twelve feet. It was so tidy-looking it was ridiculous. Utterly perplexed, Winry hopped off her bike as she pulled up to the high school's entrance, finding the bike rack with relative ease and chaining her bicycle to it as quickly as she could. Swinging her book bag over her shoulder again, the Rockbell hastily made sure that her uniform was in order and that she still had the piece of paper bearing her schedule, classes, and locker number, before she strode through the doors.

It was clean inside, too. That was her first thought as she stared, bewildered, down the long hall ways that stretched out in front of her and to her left and right. Well...her classes were here somewhere. Fishing the paper from her book bag, Winry quickly scanned the contents for her homeroom number. No use in searching for her locker; that would take too long. The room number was...B238. Squinting down the corridors, the blonde-haired adolescent soon realized that none of the near by classrooms began with "B." In fact, they didn't seem to be in any particular order at all. One was "A146," while the one next to it read "G942." The one after that was "C312." What the hell? Did the person who came up with street names come up with this screwed up classroom system as well? With a grumble, Winry chose a random direction and began to walk, hoping that maybe God or even Satan might guide her through this hellhole.

It was the second hallway she chose that contained the location of her homeroom. Luckily, no administrators or teachers had caught her sneaking around the school, so she was safe for now. As she approached the door, with the little plaque to the side of it reading "B328," Winry nervously swallowed and outstretched a shaking hand towards the doorknob. Warily she turned it and swung the door open, and immediately felt all eyes in the room land on her.

"...hi," she managed.

There was the clearing of a throat before a deep voice scolded her,  
"You are fourty-three minutes late, and on your first day. I expect punctuality from my pupils."  
Her gaze flicked over to a man who couldn't have been any older than his late twenties, sitting behind large desk in front of the chalkboard.  
"This is Winry Rockbell, our new student. Please treat her kindly," he continued in a bored tone. Glancing at her briefly, he finished with, "I am Roy Mustang. I would prefer it if you addressed me as Mustang-sensei."

Awkwardly, she nodded, and slowly turned away from him to stare at the sea of desks and curious eyes before her. Feeling her cheeks flush slightly, Winry quickly spotted an empty seat; but much to her chagrin, it was in the very center of the room. Dammit. She knew that the longer she stood up here upset over the positioning of her desk, the more she would look like a moron on her first day. Unwilling to be portrayed as a moron, Winry immediately zoomed over to her desk, collapsing in the sturdy plastic chair with relief. Looking up ahead of her, the small movement of a body caught her attention. In another seat near Mustang-sensei's desk sat a young woman, a water pistol held at the ready in her left hand, her right index finger lingering around the trigger. At first, she thought that the woman might have been a disobedient student, but she quickly realized that this was not the case from the way Mustang-sensei behaved towards her. When he leaned over to speak to her, his tone was flirty, serious, and wary; his body language was inviting but stiff. Who ever this woman was, Winry admired her. Especially when she squirted Mustang-sensei in the forehead with her water pistol.

* * *

It was after class that Winry began to panic; her next class would be with in eight or so minutes, but she had no idea where her locker was or what she would need. She hadn't even seen any lockers when she had been roaming the school earlier. So how the hell was she supposed to...?! A tap or her shoulder startled Winry out of her thoughts. Whirling around in surprise, she couldn't help but stare as she was greeted by one of the most gorgeous boys she had ever seen in her life. 

Dirty-golden hair glinted gently in the fluorescent lighting, reflecting tenderly on his slightly-tanned skin as kind golden eyes stared down at her in slight curiosity. His body was toned and muscled, although not in an obvious way, and the crisp white shirt adorning his torso made her stomach give a flip as she saw how well it contrasted with his skin color. The boy smiled at her and said politely,  
"You're Rockbell-san, right? The new student?"  
Suddenly bashful,Winry glanced down at her feet and gave a small nod.  
"I'm Alphonse Elric. We have the same homeroom class, so I'll be seeing you often," he offered cheerfully. Changing the subject, he asked her,  
"Do you need help finding your locker?"

Winry glanced up at him.  
"Y-yeah, thanks, Elric-san." she said lamely, fidgeting her fingers.  
"What's the locker number?"  
"Er, hold on."  
Shakily, Winry pulled the (now rumpled) sheet of paper out from her book bag and searched it furiously for the locker's number.  
"M13492," she answered finally.  
He beamed.  
"Really? That's interesting; mine is right next to yours, then! Come on, let me show you the way."  
Either God loved her more dearly than he did any other adolescent girl, or she had done something wonderful in her life and karma was paying her back. Not only did was her locker right next to one of the most good-looking males she had ever seen, but he was in her homeroom as well! Winry shamefully felt her face heat up, and tried to wave such thoughts away.  
_How embarrassing_, she thought to herself.

Eventually the two had arrived in front of a long row of lockers, Alphonse automatically heading towards a certain direction with Winry following obediently behind him, face beet-red. After fifteen seconds or so of walking, he stopped in front of a locker and pointed to the number listed on the plaque.  
"Here it is, Rockbell-san."  
"T-thanks again, Elric-san."  
"Please, call me Al," Alphonse smiled down at her. Nervously, she sucked in a breath.  
"Er, then you can just call me Winry, I guess."  
"Great! You have you combination and everything?"  
"Y-yeah."  
"All right," the dirty-gold-haired boy expertly entered his combination before swinging his locker open. Proceeding to pull out a text book, a binder, a few papers and a pencil, Alphonse quickly closed it before turning to look at her again. With another smile, he said,  
"I'll see you next class!"  
Winry awkwardly waved after him as he began to walk off, and felt a sudden sweat all over her body. Alphonse had made her that self-conscious? Grumbling at herself, she slowly entered her own locker combination and opened the door to reveal nothing but a slightly dusty emptiness. Besides the dust, it was completely clean. Letting out a breathy sigh, Winry began to unpack her book bag and glanced at her written schedule. Her next class would be on World History, it seemed. Fetching out an empty binder and a pencil, she chewed her lip for a little longer before deciding that it would be enough, and closed the locker door.

* * *

Even for her first day, homework for that evening had been utterly brutal. A quick "Home, Baa-chan!" was all she had time for besides a quick apple to eat before she had to start on it. Hardly finishing it not eight minutes until midnight, Winry scowled at her alarm clock as it showed her said time. Not really caring that her hair would be messy in the morning and that her uniform would be wrinkled, she flopped down onto her relatively small bed and tried to close her eyes and sleep. 

Twenty minutes later, she remained unsuccessful, despite how tired she had felt earlier. Grumpily, Winry climbed out from under the covers and moved over to her window, which she quietly opened to peer outside. Glancing up at the night sky, she noticed sub-consciously how beautifully the dark navy color of the atmosphere clashed against the tiny, brilliant balls of flaming gas. Before, she had lived out further into the country side with her family, where there were many more stars out at night. Here in the city, she could hardly count over nine from all of the light pollution

A sudden movement caught Winry's eye and pulled her forcefully from her thoughts. Turning her head curiously, she froze as she caught sight of a tall boy standing on a roof top, hardly three buildings away from her own.

With brilliant yet ratty golden hair, the boy, who couldn't have been a year older than her, was slightly slumped over in his posture as he fiddled with some sort of bandage over his right upper arm. Wearing a pair of dirty, holey jeans, an equally torn, once-white wife-beater, and beaten white sneakers, he silently observed the city's late-night traffic. In the dim glint of the lights below, Winry thought she could make out brilliant golden eyes set into his face, perhaps even more brilliant than those of Alphonse's. A small scowl was barely visible on his lips as he observed the moving cars below him.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Winry staring at the boy, and the boy staring at the city below, before he walked over to the other side of the building and began to climb down a latter she couldn't see. Soon he disappeared from view, and she was unable to track him on the ground below. Her interest piqued, she remained by the window for a minute longer, before rubbing her eyes, shutting the sliding glass, and returning to the warmth of her bed to sleep. She would wonder later in the morning.

* * *

_I liked this A LOT better. It's longer, and more well-written. Winry having a 'fan girl' personality, as I called it, isn't so bad if it's written in a good fashion. If it's terrible, however, it makes the chapter incredibly CHEESY. EW. And yes, for those of you new to this story, Edward IS tall. :)_


	3. Chapter 2

**Brief Commentary:  
**I've noticed that these chapters take me roughly two hours to rewrite. Huh. Well, seeing as I'm not tired and it's 1:10 AM, I figured I should continue on with the revising. See how much I can do in one day. XD But seriously, it's bugging me to have like, two revised chapters then a chapter that seriously needs to be revised...ehhh. So I'll just do it!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**_  
Chapter Two  
_

The next morning, Winry's energy was sapped, even though she woke up at seven (she had woken up much earlier at her past schools) and was dressed and moderately ready for school by 7:20 or so. Bearing faint circles under her eyes, she trudged noisily down the narrow flight of stairs to the kitchen/family room, where her grandmother was already frying a couple of eggs.

"Morning, Baa-chan," she yawned and stretched, sleepily pulling her book bag over her shoulder only for it to slide down to the crook of her elbow.  
"Hungry, Winry?" Pinako Rockbell greeted her with a grunt, not turning to face her granddaughter as she silently observed the cooking food. Expertly digging a spatula underneath one of the eggs, the elderly woman slid it onto a plate and offered it to Winry.  
She shook her head and yawned again.  
"No thanks."  
Rolling her eyes, Pinako scooped the other egg onto the plate and turned off the small stove she had been facing, walking over to the small kitchen table and sitting down. Evidently she had been famished; both eggs were gone within two minutes. Winry felt a small ache in her stomach from just watching, but she had her pride, too, and wouldn't try to reveal that she _had _become hungry. Instead, she waved a quick good bye to her grandmother before she walked slowly out the door, wondering silently if she should try using public transportation instead of her bicycle today.

When she nearly fell over trying to climb onto her bicycle, she decided public transportation would be better.

As she walked past her apartment from the shed where her bike was kept, Winry grinned as she caught sight of Pinako staring solemnly out at her from the doorway, her pipe held carefully in one hand as she raised it to her lips unblinkingly. Waving again, she turned her back to the building and began to job to a near by bus stop, hoping that if the bus wasn't too crowded, she could actually get a few extra minutes of sleep.

The morning air was unforgivingly chilly as Winry pulled the school's sweater more tightly around her torso. The bus stop was unoccupied with the exception of three other people, two of which were fellow students bearing the same school uniform. The third person was a man in a business suit who kept looking anxiously around, but Winry decided not to pay much attention to him. After the bus pulled in, the man was the first to practically leap on, while she and the two other students slowly climbed the tall stairs and sat quietly into the cushioned seats. The bus wasn't overly noisy at 7:36 AM, so Winry was able to drift into some sort of slumber, although it was very light.

When the bus pulled in near the school, she, along with the two others, stepped off as quietly as they had gotten on, and began a slow walk towards the entrance. Almost as soon as she walked inside, Winry ran straight into Alphonse, who greeted her as cheerfully as he had the day before. When she only offered a tired "Hello" in response, he began a quick interrogation.

"Did you sleep well last night?"  
"No."  
"What time did you go to bed?"  
"...dunno."  
"Did you have anything for breakfast?"  
"No, wasn't hungry."  
Her stomach found this to be the perfect opportunity to gurgle loudly, much to her embarrassment.  
"Winry..."  
"...what?"  
Alphonse deftly slapped her on the back, startling her out of her stupor.  
"What the hell was that?!" she blurted out, clamping her hands over her mouth as soon as the words slipped out. Letting out a meek, "Sorry," Winry stared at her shoes in immense concentration. Alphonse let out a laugh.  
"Well, that woke you up, didn't it?"  
Her cheeks reddened.  
"...I guess," she admitted.  
He grinned at her.  
"Well, class will be starting soon; I'll see you there, I suppose?"  
Winry nodded quickly, face still flushed.  
"See you, Al."

* * *

The only thing Winry successfully accomplished in class that morning, besides raising her hand and muttering "Here" for roll call, was sleep. She had long mastered the ability to sleep with her eyes open, and she was like that now. Slumped over her desk with her chin resting on her folded arms, Winry stared ahead with glazed-over blue eyes at the chalk board. Luckily, Mustang-sensei did not seem to notice. Unfortunately, even sleeping with one's eyes opening could not notify one of the end of class. 

"Oi!"  
_Five more minutes...  
_"Oiii!"  
_You're too noisy...  
_"OI!"  
"WHAT?!" Winry shrieked suddenly, snapping into a standing position and succeeding in knocking over her belongings onto the floor. Looking up abashedly, she met the eyes of a dark-skinned girl with mousy brown eyes and black hair, and an amused grin dancing on her lips. After several seconds of trying to hold back, the girl exploded into a fit of laughter, while Winry just scowled at her, confused and unsure of what to do. Eventually the girl's giggles died down, and with a smirk, she said,  
"Figured you should know that class is over."  
She paled.  
"How long do I have until next class?"  
"Five minutes or so, don't worry," the girl assured her. "Mustang-sensei walked out with the rest of the class, so you haven't gotten caught yet."  
"Er...good." Winry scooted away from her desk and stood up from her chair, sighing as she gazed at all of her spilled belongings on the floor.  
"I'll help," the girl must've seen her upset expression and quickly crouched down on the floor, beginning to place her things haphazardly back into Winry's arms.  
"So," she said as she picked up a couple pens and a pencil, "You're the new student, Rockbell-san, right?"  
"Yeah...er..."  
"Aetern Paninya," she introduced herself.  
"Uh, thanks a lot, Aetern-san."  
"Call me Paninya."  
Winry glanced at her for a brief second, wondering why everyone here was so formal, before she answered with,  
"Then you can call me Winry."  
Paninya grinned as she stacked the last of her belongings into Winry's arms, and stood up to face her.  
"All right, Winry," she offered her hand to shake, before retracting it awkwardly with a sheepish smile when she realized that Winry didn't have a hand available to shake with.

The two walked in silence to Winry's locker, before Paninya waved and ran off to get her own things ready for the next class. Interest piqued by the girl's strange behavior, it wasn't until her locker clicked open that she remembered the boy from the night before. Suppose he attended this school? As far as she knew, there weren't many others in the city. With a sigh, she mentally swore to herself that she would keep an eye out for the boy, in hopes she might at least get a glimpse of him. Winry bit her lip as she realized that shouting at him "I SAW YOU ON THE ROOF LAST NIGHT!" would not be a good introduction. Maybe she just shouldn't say anything. Her eyes sub-consciously drifted to her left, and she blinked in surprise when they landed on Alphonse, rummaging through his locker. As if sensing her gaze on him, he glanced up.  
"Fell asleep in class, Winry-chaaan?" he mock-scolded her, a grin stretching across his face.  
"No, I was paying attention," she tossed back at him, trying to remain as casual as possible.  
"Ha ha, I don't think so," Alphonse gave her a knowing look and shook his head, but let the topic slide as he pulled out his things and closed his locker. Winry did the same, and couldn't help but smile when she realized that she and Alphonse were actually walking to class together, even though both were saying nothing. However, the icy glares she felt boring into her back tempered that small happiness, and Winry had to suppress a shiver. To distract herself, she allowed her eyes to peel the hallways, ever alert for any presence of the boy she had seen the night previous.

* * *

_I know some of the points made in the chapter were actually made in later chapters, so I will be editing them. :) Never fear, my darlings, this story will come out of construction relatively soon...I hope. -dances to London Bridge to pass the time- _


	4. Chapter 3

**Brief Commentary:**  
This chapter is like, half-revised, since I didn't like the beginning. Keep watch for minor editing/revising in later chapters, but I think that the majority of the revision should be over, and I'll feel free to move on to actually writing the next chapter. ...Oh dear...now that I've implied that I haven't even started on it (which I haven't), I suppose I should be looking forward to a trip to the E.R. soon or something of the sort.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Three_

Throughout the remainder of that day and the next, Winry found that she was able to speak to Alphonse more calmly without the rush of nerves, and had resisted the urge to blush several times already. She felt much more relaxed and at ease, even in all his attractive glory. In between classes their dialogue had grown more casual, and Winry thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad for it to remain that way; she and Alphonse had quickly become good friends. Of course, Paninya and herself were hitting it off really well, too; they always managed to find something laugh about.

The majority of Winry's day was spent with both of them, only differing through their lunch schedules. The school's population of students had been too large for all of them to share a single lunch period, so instead it was divided into three different periods. Winry and Paninya shared the first, while Alphonse had the second. Despite this, it allowed the two girls a little "female time" that Alphonse, in his boyish naiveness, would be completely unable to relate to. Winry had allowed herself a giggle when Paninya mentioned this.

But through her musings, Winry remembered the boy, and whatever face she had been wearing dropped into something more disappointed and sulky.

As diligently as she had looked, Winry was extremely disappointed to find that there had been no sign of the boy at all. Maybe he _did_ go to another school? In her musings, she found herself looking back on his appearance. Golden hair, gold eyes, a good body frame (as far as she had been able to tell)...from the distance, she was unable to tell, but the boy seemed to be only a little taller than Alphonse. Perhaps he would know? She decided she would ask before the next class (which happened to be the last).

Approaching him quietly (and pointedly ignoring the glares being sent her way from the girls Paninya had dubbed the "Alphonse Fan Girls Club"), she tapped him on the shoulder. She couldn't help but smile back as he turned around with a grin on his face.  
"Hey Winry! What do you need?"  
"Can I ask you something?"  
"Go ahead."

"Do you know a boy who has gold hair and gold eyes, and he looks a little taller than you? I saw him last night, I think, and I was wondering if you knew..." she trailed off as Alphonse's expression began to change.

The grin had disappeared from his face, leaving him in some sort of stupor. His eyes seemed to glint in realization, and they grew cold and distant, the once warm golden irises becoming frigid with obvious dislike. Alphonse's mouth twisted into a sneer, and his posture stiffened. All Winry could do was watch in bewilderment, and even slight fear as she stared at the now unfamiliar boy in front of her.

"Winry," he said softly. The voice he used was so soft that it seemed threatening.  
"Y...yes?"  
"Please don't mention that bastard again in my presence." It wasn't a request. It was an order.  
"Oh...okay," she said weakly, and quickly turned away to stride back to her desk. She could practically smell the smirks coming from the Alphonse Fan Girls; they must've believed she had just gotten turned down for a date. Letting out a snort as she flopped back into her desk, the blonde-haired adolescent began to tap her pencil in irritation, ignoring the confused looks Paninya was sending her way. What had brought on Alphonse's sudden personality change? She chewed her lip. Well, he had called the boy a bastard, so evidently he wasn't on good terms with him...bur why?

Winry shivered at the sudden flow of possibilities that ran through her head. Maybe the boy was really a murder, or an escaped convict, or some kind of gangster or drug dealer, or a thief, or a...maybe even a rapist? She quickly shoved the thought away. Honestly, a rapist? Where the hell had that come from? She felt disgusted with herself. But Alphonse had to have some motive; she felt that she could tell well enough from his personality that he didn't hold grudges or hate people for petty reasons. Was the boy honestly that terrible? Hell, she didn't even know his name. With a pout, she began to scribble small nonsenses onto a spare piece of paper, ignoring what she wrote. Paninya looked over curiously to see:

"Panda bears suck ass."

"Green is like a fucked up sand box."

"Your mom was so fat she swallowed a train and died."

"I need you to cut your toenails; they look like they've been with cookies for weeks."

"Which came first, the kangaroo or the seal?"

She attempted to give Winry a questioning glance, but was put off when she found that she was being ignored.

* * *

A drop of rain hit Winry's nose as soon as she stepped out of the building to head home. After managing to dodge Paninya's questions about the events that had occurred just ten minutes before hand, and the mysterious things she had written on the scrap paper, her already foul mood had instantly been made worse.

"What? It was clear this morning..." she let out a low grumble as she glanced up at the gray sky, the water droplets falling harder and more thickly now. She sighed. "Aw, man, I have to walk all the way to the damn bus stop...I really should've taken the damn bike, even though it would get rusted. Dammit."

Grouchily adjusting her grip on her book bag, Winry trudged along the wet side-walk, shooting envious glares at the students who were fortunate enough to have rides home in their own cars, or even on their bicycles. She swore rather loudly when she underestimated the depth of a puddle and found both her feet up to her knees soaked in mud and water. The day, which had been better before, had now turned into one borne from the depths of hell...well, maybe she was exaggerating, but that was certainly what it felt like. Winry shivered as she noticed how almost her entire body had become drenched in cold rainwater, and mentally decided that taking a nice, hot bath was her number one priority when arriving home. Damn rain...and she didn't even have an umbrella.

As she looked around, she somberly realized that nature seemed to be reflecting her mood. The leaves that were left on the bare, dark-muddy colored trees were black and tan, most of the actual plant life resembling this in some way. The houses surrounding her had no lights on (it was the middle of the afternoon), and seemed gloomy and depressing. Cars on the roads near by moved slowly and sprayed thin sheets of dirty water behind them, the figures seen in the car windows mostly slouched over. Only the brightly-colored umbrellas she could see in the distance seemed to contrast with the scenery.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the looming figure observing her from a dark alleyway, eyes flashing in the shadows as she passed. It inhaled sharply, then let out a low hiss of some unidentifiable emotion, and disappeared.

Winry, meanwhile, had found that said thoughts had lead back to the boy she had seen two nights earlier, and was giving her sub-conscious a stern bad-mouthing, not realizing she had made it to the bus stop until she nearly smacked into the sign. With a grumble, she was forced to wait several minutes before the public transportation vehicle actually arrived, managing to spray her with dirty water in the process. Feeling very much pissed off, Winry climbed on board and sat moodily on a seat a little ways away from the door, eager to get home as quickly as possible in order to take a bath.

Twenty minutes or so later, the bus pulled up to a stop near her neighborhood, where she stepped off and raced down the sidewalk, not enthusiastic about getting soaked with water again, despite her already wet condition. After a minute, she reached the apartment building she and her grandmother currently resided in, and climb up the stairs to open the door.

Kicking off her shoes, Winry shouted,  
"Baa-chan! I'm home! I'm going to take a bath, okay?"

A small grunt of recognition came from the living room, and taking that as an invitation to do whatever she planned, Winry proceeded to bound up the stairs and throw open the door to the bathroom. Plugging the drain, she began to run the hot water, and while waiting for the tub to fill, she locked the bathroom door, peeled off her soaked uniform and underthings and stepped inside. She let out a long sigh of appreciation and wiggled her freezing, numb toes. Her skin crawled pleasantly as her cold body met the hot water and unsettled her nerves, eventually soothing her stiff muscles as it filled almost to the top of the bathtub. Turning the tap to stop the water, Winry slid into a reclined position against the side of the tub to relax for a few sparse minutes.

"Fuck that stupid boy," she told herself, "I probably won't see him ever again, so why think about it? Fuck him."

But despite her firm words, Winry could not keep her thoughts from wandering as she slipped into a giddy, relaxed stupor.

* * *

_Revision is happiness. Unfortunately I'm still going to have to edit a few things in following chapters as I go on. Dammit.  
_


	5. Chapter 4

**Brief Commentary:**  
Alright, this one was also revised/edited a bit; I couldn't resist. :) There were a few things here that bothered me, so I figured I might as well get them fixed (this'll probably apply to all the chapter in the story soon enough). But again, don't worry, my dears, for those reading. This confusion will be over soon.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Four_

Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned into a month and a half, but Winry hadn't found a hint of the boy's presence anywhere in town. He eventually began to loose her interest, although a fleeting, mindless fantasy of him would appear in her imagination every once in a while. She found it difficult to keep referring to him as "the boy" so instead she decided she instead would refer to him as "Bastard." Sure it wasn't very original, but so long as she never spoke of him aloud, she figured she would be safe from odd looks, or in Alphonse's case, glares.

She had quickly apologized to Alphonse the next day for bringing up the subject of "that guy" and asked if he could forget she ever said anything. He agreed, and the two had begun to bond a bit more deeply since then. Winry was considering him as a romantic interest, although she currently was not into the idea of having that kind of relationship with him just yet. Calling him just 'Al' was nothing unfamiliar to her now, and he was completely comfortable with calling her 'Winry.' She and Paninya, meanwhile, had speedily gone from 'good friends' to 'best friends' within the week of their meeting, and now did nearly everything together, including, as Paninya called it, 'Pay Back on the Bitches Club.'

The Alphonse Fan Girls had quickly become her worst nightmares, taping threatening messages to her locker, also slipping _into _her locker crude, suggestive pictures of herself labeled "Big Fat Skank" or "Stupid Bitchy Whore," among other things, and one had even gone so far as to spray paint inappropriate messages onto her apartment building. The owners were extremely unhappy with her, so Winry had taken it upon herself to clean it up as best she could. There was still a mark here or a smudge there, but generally it was unnoticeable, and the managers eventually calmed down. Paninya encouraged her to get back at them, but mostly it was Paninya herself who did the getting-back (she even went as far as to destroy the mail box of the girl who had defaced the apartment). Winry preferred to sit, watch, and laugh accordingly, as well as stick her neck out for her on the occasion that she got caught.

It was the day everyone had off of school, and Winry had gone with both Alphonse and Paninya to the library for a brief studying session (an exam was coming up). After being shushed several times by passing librarians, they were eventually asked to leave and study elsewhere. This was mostly because Paninya kept whispering perverted comments and making humorous faces as Winry and Alphonse attempted to bury themselves in books to ignore her. Winry laughed harder (and louder) than Alphonse, because, as he had known Paninya for much longer than she had, he was used to her behavior. However, Paninya did succeed in making him laugh several times none-the-less, and Alphonse looked incredibly bewildered when the librarian had asked them to leave. Evidently it had never happened to him before, which was probably to be expected.

"All right, well, I have to go home; with the shorter days, it looks like it'll be dark within the next hour," Alphonse glanced at them as they stood outside the library's front doors, a small, lingering smile playing on his lips.  
"Ah, really?" Winry looked up at the sky for a brief moment and noted that the sun had already declined quickly towards the horizon. "Hn, I guess so. See you tomorrow, then?"  
"Sure thing, Winry," he winked and smiled at her, causing her stomach to twitch slightly. "See you tomorrow."

He turned to leave before waving over his shoulder towards them, Paninya grinning broadly as she waved her arms in response. Glancing at Winry, she said aplogetically,  
"I have to get going, too. I promised my mum I'd help with the cooking tonight."  
"All right. How's your father doing?"  
Paninya held her head high, her face brightening considerably.  
"Never better! I'm really happy to have him back!"  
"I'm glad," Winry offered a soft smile and hugged her friend briefly. "Well, go on ahead, I can walk home by myself, or take a cab if I need to."  
"Okay; stay safe, Winry-chaaaaan," she teased her. "Don't let creepy people stalk you home."  
"Oh, you shouldn't worry, Paninya-chaaaaaan," she smirked back. "I know you'll just fuck them up for me."  
"Ha ha, you know it!" Paninya laughed.

The two walked off in separate directions, as their homes were considerably far apart. It didn't take long for Winry's mind to wander to other subjects relating to her own family. She missed her mother and father terribly, but the pain that had blossomed in her heart when she learned of her parents' murder had dulled to a hidden numb feeling that would only reappear when she thought about it. The police had never caught the murderer, and for a while Winry had been kept in custody so that the officers wouldn't have to worry about him stalking and killing her next. A month passed, and there had been no signs of whoever it had been, so they released her to live with her grandmother, Pinako Rockbell. Her grandmother was fair and kind, but she longed for the familiar faces of her mother and father once again. Winry had eventually adjusted, and didn't mind so much any more; it had been over five years since their deaths, after all.

It was when her mind took another turn and wandered back to the subject of the Bastard when she walked straight into another figure, spaced out as she was. In fact, she didn't even register the slight pain on her face, but only was startled by the small smacking sound.  
"Uh?" Winry blinked rapidly.  
"Will you watch it?" a voice from above said gruffly, side-stepping to avoid her hitting him again. She glanced up at him and squinted; it had grown dark already, and the nearest streetlight was ten-something feet away. As her eye-sight adjusted, Winry let out a startled gasp.  
"The Bastard?!" she couldn't help but blurt out.

The person she had crashed into was none other than the boy she had seen in the middle of the night so long ago. His hair, upon closer inspection, was dirty and tangled, and the pony-tail it was in was rather clumsy, but the hair color was gold, all the same. His eyes, flashing dimly in the darkness, were a similar gold that resembled a wild, exciting amber color that seemed to make Alphonse's much lighter and yellower in comparison (it could have just been the street lamp-light, though; she wasn't certain) . The clothes and shoes he was wearing were slightly ragged and extremely dirty (with several large-looking blood stains), but she couldn't make out much else. A lit cigarette was perched between his lips; she noticed the smoke curling upwards.  
He raised an eyebrow and removed said cigarette.  
"Who?"

Winry felt her face flush a deep scarlet in embarrassment.  
"Uh...nothing...it was nothing!"  
He shrugged and moved as if to continue walking on, but, as if without realizing it, Winry caught his arm, feeling as though her face was on fire with her sudden boldness. He glanced at her warily.  
"Is there something I can help you with...?"  
"Um...I've seen you...before...right?"  
He rolled his eyes in irritation and shrugged his arm out of her grip.  
"I wouldn't know. I don't speak to people very often," he began to walk away again. "Never seen you around, anyway."  
"Uh, please wait!"  
The boy turned around impatiently, glaring at her.  
"_What_?"  
"Can you at least tell me your name?"  
"Tell me yours then," he countered.  
"W-Winry Rockbell," she lowered her eyes to the side-walk out of modesty.  
"Huh." Her irritation began to spike as she heard his retreating footsteps.  
"You haven't told me your name!" she pratically ran after him, blue eyes flashing angrily. The boy sighed as he extended an arm to catch her by the wrist, in order to prevent her from crashing into him again.  
"Damn it...so annoying," she heard him mutter, and she squirmed in his grip, hoping he could feel how much he was pissing her off as he casually put the cigarette back into his mouth. "If you have to know...it's Edward."  
"What's your last name?"  
Edward let out a snarl and flung her onto the side walk, with a loud,  
"Shut up!"

Then he was gone. Just...disappeared. As Winry slowly picked herself up, she muttered a painful "Damn bastard" and began to examine herself. That stupid boy had given her bruises up and down her legs, one on her right elbow, from the fall, and the wrist he had grasped her by felt sore. How hard had he gripped it, anyway? All that was left to show that he had been there was a slightly rumpled-looking cigarette on the ground, the foul smoke still curling into the air. Stomping on it angrily, Winry picked up her books and walked more briskly home, fueled by her outrage of this boy, Edward's, character. What the hell? All she asked was for his stupid, dumb last name, and he just flipped! What the hell...

Winry released sigh a sigh of relief as her apartment came into view, and ran the last few blocks to clamber up the steps and fling the door open.  
"Baa-chan, I'm home!" she shouted, and began stomping upstairs towards her room. She heard a quieter response in return from her grandmother, something like,  
"About time she got back...with this new town, who knows what kind of characters prowl around like parasites at night?"  
Winry snorted in agreement.

* * *

_That was quick. :P_


	6. Chapter 5

**Brief Commentary:**  
Sorry for taking so long to update; severe case of writers block, ahoy! After Winry had at last collided with our beloved Eddo, and decided that he's an ass, I sat there with a bemused expression on my face and thought to myself 'Well…that's nice. Now what?' Eventually I wrote a couple more pieces to get my creative juices flowing, and hopefully this chapter will be a successful production of that. Please review, ne!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Five_

The following week Winry remained grouchy and irritable from her encounter with Edward. Part of her was disappointed with how the both of them had behaved, while she was also scolding herself for thinking that Edward would be some kind of charmer that would sweep her off her feet and carry her off into the night for a romantic evening. But she was also upset with his actual personality; he had lashed out at her for absolutely no reason what-so-ever and dumped her on the street like an expired piece of meat. On top of that, the guy _smoked! _Well, so did her grandmother, but that was entirely different.

The Rockbell's behavior did not go unnoticed by the ever nosy Paninya, who was by far more observant than Alphonse was when it came to women. So without any hesitation at all, during their lunch period in the middle of the day (this was Thursday, so they had a later lunch schedule due to block days), she plunked herself down next to Winry, pausing to take a bite out of her chicken sandwich, before asking,  
"What the hell's the matter with you?"  
Well, to be more accurate, it sounded like this:

"Whuh tha hull'samahher wi'oo?"

Winry stared at her as if she had just turned into a pig, sprouted demonic wings, and begun to fly in circles above the heads of the other students.

"…What?"

Swallowing, Paninya repeated herself.

"It's nothing," Winry scowled.  
"That ain't 'nothing,' Win," the dark skinned girl leaned back in her seat and glanced at her through hooded eyes, passively observing her friend's tense body. "You look like you're standing in front of a monster truck doing eighty with your hands and legs bound together."  
Winry rolled her eyes at her friend and moodily picked at the salad she had in front of her.

"Just tell me, Win; you know I don't like begging," Paninya whined, pouting her lower lip in a fruitless request for pity. "Pleeeeeease? It might make you feel better."

"Aw, shut up," she tore the wrapper on her straw and blew the remainder of the paper encasement into her friend's face. Paninya brushed it away and tried out her 'puppy dog' eyes, leaning forward to remain face to face with Winry. Her 'puppy dog' eyes in actuality made her resemble a cranky seven year old who was trying to goad an ever firm mother into lending them coins for a gum-ball machine, and a seven year old who would complain loudly if they got the color they didn't want, at that.

"Alright, fine," Winry pursed her lips in irritation, before she described the events that had occurred the week before, and how she had seen him the first time, not missing the sudden widening of Paninya's eyes as she mentioned the boy's name.

"And what's really pissing me off is that I asked his last name and he just yells at me and throws me to the ground like some...ugh, I don't know! He was a complete asshole!" she growled, folding her arms over her chest. Paninya glanced at her in slight surprise.  
"You don't know who he is?"  
"No; no one's bothered to tell me," Winry said testily, glaring at her friend. The dark skinned girl allowed her eyes to casually roam around, landing on surrounding students who were immersed in their own conversations. After she had made sure no one would be eavesdropping, she leaned forward and whispered,  
"He's Al's _older brother_."  
Paninya very nearly laughed at Winry's stunned face.  
"W-what?"  
"Al's 'big bro;' his 'Nii-san,' or his 'Onii-san.' Elder sibling...you getting this?" she snapped her fingers in her face for emphasis. Winry scowled at her and smacked her hand away.  
"I get _that_, but Al never told me that when I asked him about Edward the first time," the blonde-haired girl hissed at her. Paninya shot her an appalled look.  
"You _asked_ Al about him?"  
"...yeah...what's wrong with that?"  
"Win, those two _hate_ each other. They see each other, they fight. _Everybody_ knows that!"  
"Well, I didn't. Did every one just assume a person who hasn't lived here her whole life would automatically catch on as soon as she moved in? Do they have it on the town's leaflet or something and I just missed it? God damn it, Paninya, I'm not fucking psychic!" Winry fumed, Paninya taking special care to move several inches away, in order to avoid any violent physical contact that her friend might bestow on her. The blonde girl continued to rant privately to herself for the remainder of the lunch period, while her friend preferred to quietly sip at her orange juice and pretend she was deaf to any explicit words that rolled off of Winry's tongue.

* * *

"Baa-chan, I'm ho - oh, hi, Baa-chan," Winry had swung open the front door only to find her grandmother standing there, the usual pipe in hand, as if waiting for her. Smiling slightly, she slipped past,  
"Well, I'm home!"  
"Winry."  
She froze at the bottom of the stairs, shoulders tense. Her grandmother generally didn't use such a bland tone unless she wanted to speak to her.  
"...yes, Baa-chan?" Winry turned to look at her with a forced grin.  
"You've been in a mood all week," Pinako raised her eyebrows at her granddaughter. "And I know it wasn't your monthly."  
She blushed slightly and looked away.  
"Uh, well, it was just...things at school. Yeah, that's it."  
The elderly Rockbell woman sighed, the pipe in her mouth bobbing up and down with the movement of her lips.  
"Stop lying to me, Winry. It's not like you to mope around all week. Did what ever boy this was do something so awful you have to be upset about it for so long?"  
Winry stared at her, her face slowly turning red.  
"B-boy? H-how did you...I don't have any trouble with boys!"  
Pinako chuckled and gave her granddaughter a disbelieving glance.  
"How long do you think I've been around? Your mother always had the same kind of expression on her face whenever she had bantered with your father. You were just unfortunate enough to inherit that look."  
She said nothing in response, choosing to stare carefully at her feet. Eventually her grandmother let out a sigh, and motioned towards the two seats surrounding the small kitchen table. Winry fidgeted nervously as she sat down; it was embarrassing enough to have to sit down with her grandmother to talk about 'boy troubles,' but even more so because Pinako was currently giving her a stern look that signaled she was in interrogation mode. And Winry had a gut feeling that she wouldn't get off of this one easily.

"Name."  
"Edward...Elric."  
"Hair color."  
"Gold."  
"Eye color."  
"Gold."  
"Strange. Skin tone?"  
"...tan, I guess."  
"Age?"  
"...a year older than me?"  
"Status."  
"Baa-chaaaan!"  
"Status, Winry."  
Here she huffed.  
"Single."  
"Family."  
"..."  
"Winry. Family?"  
"He hates his brother, his mother is dead, his father doesn't look after him, and he's supposed to live with a guardian."  
"Supposed to?"  
"He wanders the streets."  
Pinako stood abruptly and said with a loud voice,  
"No."

"I wasn't even interested in him in the first place!" Winry glared at her grandmother. "I've seen him around a few times, and he was really rude when I tried to talk about him. That's all, okay?"  
She looked her over studiously, before turning her head slightly.  
"Rude? How?"  
"He...well, he smoked..."  
"_I _smoke, Winry."  
"Yeah, but it was cigarettes!"  
There was an audible sigh, Pinako choosing to wave her hand and mutter a 'Continue.'

"I asked him for his name, and he asked me for mine first, but when I wasn't even finished talking, he started to walk away. He grabbed my wrist because I accidentally ran into him when I was trying to get his name out of him, and it had a bad bruise for three days! Then when I asked him for his last name, because I had given him mine, he threw me to the ground and ran away!" Winry pouted and unconsciously began to finger said wrist, although by now there was no sign of a bruise.

"All right," Pinako chewed on her pipe for a moment before nodding to signal Winry's dismisal. "Go on ahead upstairs Winry. Just don't wake up tomorrow in a dirty mood; this Edward, I'm sure will be easy to forget about if you just avoid each other."  
"Right," Winry quickly stood up and brushed invisible dust from her uniform, before picking up her school bag and racing up the stairs, eager to escape the confinements of the kitchen table. With a sigh, Pinako stood also, a humble smile on her aged lips.

"Kids these days..."

* * *

_Aww, no Mustang-sensei in this one. :( Oh well. Maybe the next chapter._


	7. Chapter 6

**Brief Commentary:  
**Yay! I'm back into the story, which is great! I feel like I can move the events along a little easier now that Winry knows that, indeed, Ed and Al are brothers, and that, yes, they do hate each other. This chapter I kind of played around with what went on; although it's an actual building up of the climax (plot structure is awesome! XD), so it's not utterly pointless. This one might even contain a little "Pay Back on the Bitches," which I've wanted to do since before the beginning of the story! Ha ha…please review!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Six_

Despite her altering relationships with the Elric brothers, Winry couldn't help but be curious. For brothers from the same family, they were as different as fire and ice. Naturally, with millions of questions buzzing in her mind, she turned to Paninya, who seemed to know everything. At first, the dark-skinned girl was reluctant to tell her the Elrics' story, but inevitably, she cracked, and everyday at their lunch period, Paninya would tell her a little more, gradually spinning out their story like it was some kind of fairy tale. Alphonse, who did not share their lunch period, knew nothing, and things between Winry and him were the same as ever.

"Right," Paninya flopped down next to Winry on the grass, for dispite the fact that it was the middle of winter, it was a mild day, both of them only needing to put on the uniform's sweater to keep warm. That afternoon, the sky was clear of cloud cover, only a few fluffy white lumps drifting here and there in the wind. Winry noted Paninya's small lunch for the day; a cup of steamed rice held in her left hand and a pair of chopsticks poised in her right. The Rockbell often forgot to eat whenever her friend would give her a little more insight on Alphonse and Edward's situation, so lately, she hadn't bothered to get any lunch herself. Paninya quickly took a few famished bites out of her rice, before wiping away the stray grains on her chin and continuing.

"When they were eleven and ten, their mom, that was Trisha, you remember, was killed in a freak car accident. A lot of people said it was suicide; their mom didn't like Edward and loved Alphonse, so they thought maybe it was Edward's fault."  
Winry stared at her in disbelief, but found she really couldn't find something to say.  
"Yeah, awful, isn't it? And on the same day, their dad; I can't remember his name, but anyway, he basically disowned them, but he put it more nicely as 'he wouldn't be taking care of them anymore.' So they had to go live with this awful guy named…uh…it was…oh! Right, it was Bradley-san. He's terrible!" she waved her chopsticks in the air for emphasis. "And he's even missing an eye; it's gross…ugh.

"But anyway, he didn't like either of them, and eventually Edward got sick of staying at that place where his otoutou-san was being much more well cared for and treated more respectfully, so that's when he started running away."  
"Are you guys talking about somebody's dog?"

The two girls looked up, bewildered, to see an unfamiliar face peering curiously down at them. This new comer, in actuality, was a tall boy with long, spiked black hair tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, his narrow eyes observing them with what seemed like utmost politeness. Winry glanced at him uncertainly and asked,  
"And you are...?"  
"Ling Yao," he grinned widely. "I'm a new exchange student. Didn't get here until just now though."  
"Were you late because you didn't know the time or because you didn't feel like getting up in the morning?" Paninya smirked at him knowingly. He smirked back.  
"Probably the latter of the two. And who are you?"  
"Paninya," she jerked at thumb at herself, then pointed with an index finger at her friend. "And that's Winry."  
Winry nodded her head and smiled politely.  
"Nice to meet you."  
Ling grinned.  
"Nice to meet you, too."  
Noticing that Winry didn't have anything to eat with her, the exchange student frowned.  
"Are you trying to lose weight?"  
She jerked suddenly and slowly turned to look at him.  
"..._what_?"  
"You don't have any food with you; are you trying to lose weight?" he patiently repeated his question, motioning towards the empty space around Winry. "Is your size in this country too fat or something?"  
Winry brought her fist none-to-gently down onto the top of his skull, and, wearing a fake smile, turned back to Paninya and said in a freakishly cheerful tone,  
"You were saying?"  
While Ling nursed his throbbing skull, the dark-skinned girl began to cotinue. She had hardly reached the end of her third sentence when he butted in,  
"Who are we talking about?"  
Paninya rolled her eyes.  
"Nobody you know."  
"Ling-senpai! Oi, Ling-senpai!" The exchange student turned his head and let out a little groan of disappointment as a girl, with hair a shade lighter than his and much shorter, came running up to him, panting with her exertation. "Ling-senpai, the lunch period is almost over!"  
He rolled his eyes.  
"Ranfan, I know; calm down."  
"Oh...uh, well...I just wanted to remind you," she blushed slightly and nodded her head.  
"This," Ling mirrored Paninya's thumb-jerking motion, "is Ranfan. She's also an exchange student. Don't ask me why they brought the two of us."  
"Nice to meet you, Ranfan-san," Winry offered her her hand, but all she received was a slightly puzzled look in return. "Uh...right. I'm Winry, and that's Paninya."  
"Winry-san and...Paninya-san," Ranfan tried their names on her tongue, nodding when she was able to pronounce them correctly. She gave them a small smile, then handed Ling a box Winry had not seen her holding before. "Oh, and you forgot your lunch again, Ling-senpai."  
"Do you have to say _again_, Ranfan?" he whined, but accepted the box and pried the lid open. Paninya and Winry peered curiously into it, but when they found they couldn't identify any of its contents, they narrowed their eyes and looked away, not pleased with what some of the food items reminded them of.

Ling had obviously been famished; with three minutes left until the next period, he had finished his lunch in two. After watching him eat, however, Paninya declared her appetite lost, and was eager to run with Winry away from the odd pair and to the safety of their lockers. Well, to the safety of Paninya's locker, as Winry soon found that her locker was near unrecognizable. With a quick intake of breath, she observed the scribbles and words written in permanent marker and spray paint.

What in the...oh.

She felt her eyes burn as she recognized some of the dirtiest swears and trash written there, on her innocent locker door. Of course, there was not a single mark or smudge on Alphonse's, which was predictable, but really, wasn't this a bit far? Winry sighed and reached to enter her locker combination, only to find that the dial had been hot-glued still. Her blood began to boil in irritation. What next? Would she, if it was possible to open it, be immediately covered in little notes proclaiming her a 'bitch,' a 'slut,' and a 'whore'? Would they have some how vandalized her binders, gotten a hold of her homework and ruined it, and found her gym uniform and have squirted ketchup all over it? Winry slapped her hand to her forehead. She was exaggerating, and she needed to stay calm about this. Just...calm. Calm, she told herself, as she began to bang her head on her locker door, hoping the pain would jog her mind for a solution.

"Rockbell-san, may I inquire exactly what it is you're doing?" Winry froze at the sound of Mustang-sensei's voice. "And what is this on your...locker...?"  
"Uh, nothing!" she squeaked, turning around quickly and backing up against the locker door. "It's nothing! Honest to God!"  
His dark eyes flickered to and fro from the parts of the locker she couldn't cover to her face, and there was definite disbelief there.  
"This doesn't look like nothing. And I don't believe in God. Now please move."  
"Um, but-"  
"Move, Rockbell-san."  
"...yes, Mustang-sensei."

Mustang took his time deciphering the messages on the locker, his face slowly pulling into a frown. Turning back to Winry, he gave her a stern look and asked,  
"Does this happen often, Rockbell-san?"  
"Uh...sometimes..."  
"Do you intentionally provoke it into happening?"  
"Not to my knowledge," Winry muttered, staring at the floor.  
"Do you know who's doing it?"  
"I have an idea..."  
"Then I will inform the main office. Vandalism of school property, including student lockers, violates educational policy," Mustang sounded as though he was reciting it from a passage. "And from the looks of it, many of the people responsible for this are in my class, which is fortunate and unfortunate at the same time. At the very least, I can identify who they are through their handwriting, although this is utterly embarrassing."  
"Yes, Mustang-sensei," she sighed, but raised her head to add, "Uh, they glued the dial shut, so...I can't open my locker."  
Mustang groaned and nodded his head.  
"I'll make sure the door is replaced as well, Rockbell-san."  
"Er...thanks," Winry blinked in surprise, but brushed it off. "So, what am I going to do for the rest of the day?"  
"At the very least, pay attention in class, and borrow someone else's notes. You can make up for the assigned homework later," he sighed, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and index finger.  
"Um, thank you very much!" Unable to hide her delight, Winry bowed eagerly and skipped off to her next class, wanting to see the look on Paninya's face when she informed her of the incident, leaving behind a disgruntled looking Roy Mustang.

* * *

_All right, I lied. The bitch-bashing will begin in the following chapter; but hey, Ling and Ranfan have been introduced, so that's something:) And now Winry knows even more...yay! I'm thinking the next chapter will be up soon. _


	8. Chapter 7

**Brief Commentary:  
**Bitch bashing! Hooray! Everyone, dance, sing, laugh! Drink alcoholic beverages! Celebrate! Ohhh, I've been wanting to do this for SO long. Myu hu hu hu hu... Paninya so kicks ass in this one (iz in ur skool, plottinz against ur bitches), plus we have Eddo's happy reappearance! (Okay, probably not happy...sadistic and violent is more like it). Killed me (literally) to write though; I slipped in the rain and fell on my ass TWICE, and flung my left hand out to support me - it feels like it's been ruptured, although I've been assured it isn't. They're all lying to me...if my hand falls off as a result, they're _so_ gonna get it.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Seven  
_

"Those_ bitches!_" Paninya shrieked, standing up abruptly, one hand clenched into a fist, the other still remaining flat on her desk. Several people turned to glance curiously at the dark-skinned girl's sudden behavior, but generally the class as a whole was used to it and ignored the outburst. The girls who had committed the crime either smirked at Paninya's reference to them, or scowled - they were rather pathetically obvious as criminals. "They don't have _any right_ to do that; where everyone, even _teachers,_ for God's sake, can see it! Oh, they are_ so _dead when I get through with 'em. Come on, Winry, after school, let's give 'em what's comin' to 'em!"

Winry observed in silent amusement as her comrade fumed, her face turning a lovely red out of anger. She had moved her chair over to the side of Paninya's desk to speak with her, the dark-skinned girl responding as violently as usual to the 'Bitch News,' as Paninya often called it.  
"Sorry, I can't. Baa-chan wants me home early today," she told her, pretending to be disappointed. Generally Winry attempted to avoid 'giving 'em what was comin' to 'em.' In all honesty, she wouldn't be any good at that sort of thing anyway.  
"_Whaaaaat?! _Ask her if you can't stay later!" Paninya glared at her desk, lower-lip pouted uncutely. Her friend shook her head.  
"Sorry," she repeated.  
"Ugh, that's just ridiculous!"  
"I know, I know. What are you going to do to them this time?"  
Paninya earned a devilish look.  
"I was thinking along the lines of using the tape I have of Sussie running around screaming at that one party I told you about for blackmail, then just have it up on the school broadcast room for public view anyway."  
Winry's eyes widened.  
"_What?_ You're joking!"  
"Nah, I'm not," she smirked, hands now resting on her hips in a victory pose.  
"Wow, Paninya...just, wow," she stared at her friend in sudden admiration. "...Thanks a lot, really."  
"No problem - that's what friends in 'Pay Back on the Bitches Club' do!" Paninya winked at her, suddenly reverting on of her arms to an outstretched position, giving the blonde-haired girl a thumbs-up. Winry couldn't help but roll her eyes.  
"All right, Pan, thanks," she grinned. "Oh, and did I mention I have homework off this evening?"  
"Must've been lucky," Paninya switched from an identical grin to another pout, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"Mustang-sensei is just nice, that's all."  
"Nah, you were lucky. At least today's mild - you're going to need a coat again soon, seeing as you can't get yours now."  
"Ugh, dammit, I totally forgot," Winry face palmed, her eyes narrowed in irritation. "...Dammit."

The two glanced up as Mustang-sensei entered the room, his obvious embarrassment and anger evident on his face as his gaze swept over the room, flickering for a moment as he identified each culprit responsible for defacing Winry's locker. They quickly hushed their voices, Winry scooting her chair as subtly as she could back to her desk, hoping to escape his notice. Thankfully, Mustang-sensei wasn't paying attention to her, although she didn't miss the chill in the room that had ensued when he had finished his wordless interrogation of all his students. Swallowing, the blonde-haired girl glanced anxiously at Paninya, who was of little help, for she had resorted to the "dull and clueless" pose. She was slouched in her seat, eyes vacant, body still, and mouth open slightly so that a few of her enviously white teeth were viewable; his gaze utterly missed her. Paninya was practiced, and was excellent at being unnoticeable.

"It has come to my attention," Mustang-sensei finally spoke. "that there have been certain trouble-makers in this class. And not the obvious, I might add. The behavior I have seen appalls me, and I hope that by the time I am through with them, this will not continue to happen."

_He might just do the payback for you, Pan_, Winry thought to herself, lips narrowing into a small smirk.

"I will pull these people aside once class has ended - everyone else will continue to the locker rooms to change into their gym uniforms," he finished his brief announcement, then walked up to the chalk board to begin the lesson. Winry swallowed the bile in her throat, mind racing nervously. What if her gym uniform had been ruined, too? Would they go that for? Of course they would. Had they? She had no idea. Biting her lip, Winry forced herself to calm and concentrated on the lesson, observing dimly that whatever Mustang-sensei was saying was going right through her head. She would have to borrow Paninya's notes later, if she had bothered to take any. They were easier to read, certainly, than Alphonse's cursive; Winry hated resorting to Alphonse anyway. It was embarrassing, and it bothered her how many notes he actually took, in comparison to hers or Paninya's. She would at least have an excuse this time to borrow them...

* * *

Winry was wearing a prominent scowl on her face as she walked slowly home. Her gym uniform had been fine, but the lock had obviously been tampered with - if she knew anything by now, she would have to get the combination changed soon. She had had to resort to using Alphonse's notes after all - unsurprisingly, Paninya hadn't bothered to take any this time around. He had obviously been very upset over the news of her locker, although he was naive enough not to know that it had been his own fan club that had committed the crime, much to Winry's relief. Alphonse was a guy, after all, he didn't need to know. 

Chewing her lip, the blonde-haired girl nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice behind her.  
"Boo."  
Whirling around, Winry glared at the new-comer.  
"_Pan,_ don't scare me like that!"  
"So you_ were_ scared!" Paninya laughed, stretching her arms behind her head.  
"Who wouldn't be?" she grumbled, holding her notes tighter to her chest and whipping back around, refusing to face her. Paninya's voice took on a whiny note.  
"Winryyyy, don't be like that! You know I was just kidding - anyway, I got the payback all planned out! You wanna hear it?"  
Winry sighed, sub-consciously scratching her head as Paninya came up beside her..  
"Just don't get in trouble."  
"'Course I won't, who do you think I am?"  
"..."  
"Aw, shut up. Besides, the plan is really great; I sure as hell won't get caught," her friend assured her, punching her lightly in the arm.  
She sighed again and nodded, not really listening as Paninya launched into her plan. Her thoughts were else where, else where being Edward Elric, who she still couldn't get out of her mind. His angry scowl, the hushed yet violent 'Shut up!', the feeling of his hand, tight and commanding, around her wrist, the puff of smoke released from his lips as he exhaled and pulled a cigarette out of his mouth...it was maddening.  
"...so then when she tries to prove me wrong, I can say Vanika did it, and there won't be a word against me!"  
Winry blinked out of her stupor, deciding it would be proper to nod here.  
"Great, so you agree?"  
"Just make sure it isn't against the law, what you're doing," she groaned.  
"...if I would get fined for doing it, is that illegal?"  
"...never mind."  
"I'm serious, Winry!"  
Another sigh.  
"Just do what you want."  
"Cool! Gotta run, Win, see you!" Paninya grinned and skipped off in the opposite direction; Winry noticed with a second groan how elongated her shadow had become - it was darkening outside already. Soon the sun would disappear completely under the horizon, and Winry would be left to wander the streets in the dark. Again. And God knows if she would see Edward...well, maybe it wouldn't be _that _bad, a traitorous part of her brain contemplated. Letting out a low growl, the blonde-haired girl twitched as she heard the soft scuffle of a sneaker against the concrete; so subtle it was hardly audible. There was another step, then another, then the sounds stopped altogether, in such a sudden matter that there was a quiet squeak.  
"Very funny, Pan," Winry scowled. "Stop following me."  
"You're calling me Pan now?" there was an amused tone in the deeper voice, in place of the high, playful one she had been expecting. She froze in recognition and slowly turned around.

There was Edward, standing a few feet away, another cigarette perched between his lips as he leaned against a glowing street lamp, hair just as dirty, ratty, and golden as before. His eyes were half-lidded, his body tense although his shoulders were slack in calm. Another blood stain had appeared on his wife-beater just above where his gut would be located - there was a new tear along with it. Nothing else had changed, however.  
Interrupting the silence, he began again with,  
"Do you walk alone at night often?"

"I-it isn't night, it's just dark!" Winry replied intelligently, stomping her foot for emphasis. He smirked at her and rolled his eyes.  
"Still just as dangerous, isn't it?"  
"S-shut up; I can defend myself!"  
"Right," Edward glanced away, eyes narrowed, as if to hide his pointed disbelief in her statement. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he casually blew into the chilly evening air, un-fazed by the cold as smoke curled into the light emitting from the street lamp.  
Irritated, Winry decided against saying anything, although she refused to back down and stood, freezing, opposite him, a defiant glare on her face. Eventually he noticed this and mirrored it. They remained like that for several minutes, before Edward heaved a sigh and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Winry huffed and turned to go into the other, striding away quickly in hopes of disappearing down the block before he did. Lazily, he glanced back at her retreating form, a scrawled smile of sadistic amusement playing on his lips, before it disappeared and he muttered an inaudible,  
"Shit."

All Winry knew was at that moment, a loud, much too loud, gun crack was heard, and a heavy, panting, bleeding body had pushed her to the ground and was braced on top of her. Terrified, she parted her lips and let out a shriek, but a strong hand was clamped over her mouth and some one whispered in her ear,  
"Shut up and don't move, or you're dead."

* * *

_And so you will be if you don't review! Kya ha ha, kidding. :) Dramatic ending, ne? I have a feeling that this will be followed up at an extremely random time - it's sudden and leaves a little hanging feeling, so it won't take long, but then again, this is the weekend, and I might be too lazy to do it any time soon. Who knows! _


	9. Chapter 8

**Brief Commentary:  
**I love writing terror-filled chapters. They're so fun and...terror-filled. :) My damn left arm still hurts (apparently my father thinks that it's been sprained), but I'm gritting my teeth, stroking my kitties, and getting this chapter written. Because I'm such a kind person...and the antagonist needs to be introduced. He's been absent from the last seven chapters (including the prologue), so I think the poor chap deserves an appearance, don't you? -pats antagonist's back-  
Antagonist: -sniffle- -kills someone-  
Ew...  
_Side Note_: I hope some parts of the chapter don't suck ass, because some I added in there last minute without really considering how it flowed with the rest of the text...XD Sorry.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Eight_

Obediently, Winry froze, her breathing harsh from fear and the heavy body on top of her. Something warm was beginning to pool on the ground next to her hand, but in the dim light, she couldn't make out what it was. Her face paled as she realized it was most likely blood...but it wasn't hers. So who...? Fearfully, she turned her head slightly to look up, and was met with the sight of the top of Edward's head, which, as she lowered her gaze, lead to his face; sweaty, angry, urgent, and the visible wince of pain. He...he was...

Winry let out another muffled shriek, struggling to get out from under his body, but his other hand came up and clamped around her throat, cutting the noise short. Eyes wide and frantic with terror, she emitted little choking sounds as the pressure on her wind pipe increased.  
"I said...not to move, didn't I?" Edward snarled in her ear, his panting as evident as the smell of tobacco in his breath; he had lost his cigarette in the process of knocking her down. "You shouldn't be screaming...either."  
Another round of gunshots echoed in the air, several coming particularly close to Edward's head, as he pressed her further towards the ground, ignoring her choking and muffled sounds of protest. Winry could hear him grit his teeth as another bullet entered his flesh - what the hell was he doing? Trying to get himself killed? Her pupils had contracted so much that you could hardly see them inside their respective irises, and she felt an oncoming wave of terror begin to envelope her. The puddle of blood on the ground had only grown larger, as it began to soak into her clothes and dry on her hands.

After several long seconds of silence, Edward stood slowly, bringing Winry up with him, hand still clamped over her mouth.  
"Goddammit," she heard him whisper, as he narrowed his eyes and glared icily at the shadows ahead of them. Pulling out a handgun that Winry had not seen before (this brought on another wave of panic as she squirmed to get away, but his grip was firm), Edward flicked off the safety catch and fired several times. There was an audible sound of movement and the smothered din of running feet, Edward not missing a second and firing several more shots in the sound's direction. There was a hiss of pain as a bullet met the other's flesh, Winry stilling in horror as the figure stepped into the street light.

He was a, muscular, rather well-clothed, dark-skinned man with white and gray hair, although he was not old, with a large x-shaped scar marking his forehead. Oddly, he had crimson-red eyes that flashed at them with nothing but a strong hatred, as he held his freely bleeding left shoulder. With a growl, the man brought out his gun again with his other arm and fired once more, Edward shoving her to the ground as he returned rapid fire in return.  
He winced as several more bullets grazed his skin, drawing blood, but he chose to ignore the pain and kept firing until he was out of rounds. It seemed the other man was out as well, and, after a few moments of consideration, turned, glared at them, and fled. Edward angrily shoved the handgun back into a pocket in his jeans, then whipped around to glare at her.

Hoisting her up by the collar of her bloodied uniform, Edward snarled,  
"What the hell did you do?!"  
Winry stared at him like a terrified deer caught in the middle of an old dirt road, stammering out a,  
"Y-you're sh-shot!"  
"You think I don't know that?! What the _hell_ did you do?!"  
"I didn't do anything!" she began to sob, struggling with weakening arms to pry his hand from her shirt. "I didn't-"  
"Shut up! You obviously _did_ do something if you have Scar trying to kill you, you lying bitch!" his breath came in short puffs as he ground his teeth together, obviously wanting to light another cigarette to calm his nerves. She was unable to address this, however.  
"S-Scar? I've n-never seen him before!" Winry choked out, tears beginning to run down her face. Hadn't he just been saving her life a moment earlier? Why was he striking out at _her_, as if it were _her_ fault? "I s-swear! P-please!"  
Edward glowered at her disbelievingly, but finally dropped her ungraciously to the hard cement ground; Winry shuddered as she realized it had been right into the mass of his blood.  
"Don't make me save you again," his voice dropped to a low growl as he stared angrily down at her, a hand now clamping to a bullet wound in his upper arm; the source of all his lost blood. Winry let out a pitiful squeak of fright as she stared up at him, eyes still wide with fear and uncertainty as her tears ran down her cheeks in salty rivets.  
"Get lost," he told her fiercely, before he turned and disappeared into a nearby alley.

After several minutes of remaining in a puddle of Edward Elric's blood, the blonde-haired girl stood shakily, scouting the scenery in hopes she wouldn't see the man, 'Scar,' as Edward had called him, again. But he was out of bullets, she tried to reason with herself, and he had been wounded; he wouldn't be reappearing again so suddenly. None-the-less, her body's adrenaline was pumped from her terror, and skittishly, Winry tore off in the direction of her apartment, holding back loud sobs. Clambering up the stairs, she threw open the door and cried,  
"_Baa-chan!_"  
"Winry? I thought I said I wanted you home earl-" as her grandmother came into view, she was cut off by Winry's bloody appearance, her pipe falling unceremoniously from her lips. "...my God! Winry, what the hell happened?"  
"Baa-chan!" was all Winry could say in response, running forward and flinging her arms around Pinako, crouching on her knees to do so, as she began to wail like a small child. And for once, Pinako did not rebuke her or shrug her off, instead beginning to stroke her blood-drenched hair and muttering small meaningless sayings.

Eventually, Winry had calmed down enough to explain to her grandmother that it was not, in fact, her blood that she was soaked in, but refused to say anything more. Instead, she begged to take a shower, Pinako reluctantly agreeing, although she was not pleased that Winry would not explain what had happened. The young teenager had obviously been terrified by whatever incident had occurred, and coming home covered in some one else's blood could never mean good for one's mental health. Muttering a low, "Damn it, Winry," Pinako let out a sigh and went to get a mop to clean up the blood on the floor.

* * *

The next morning, although Winry had gotten rid of the bloody uniform, and was dressed and ready to go in a cleaner one, she was extremely reluctant to go outside, even in broad daylight. God knew, Scar could still be lurking out there, ready to try and kill her again. And she couldn't rely on Edward to show up every time she was in danger and take a few bullets for her; she couldn't ask that of anyone, really. But Pinako managed to shoo her out the door, and urged her just to take her bike today; that way she could travel to and from school more quickly with less of a chance of it becoming dark outside before hand.  
Eventually, Winry mounted the bicycle, and after a few minutes of uncertainty, pushed off in the direction of the school. Maybe a talk with Paninya would allow her to forget the previous day. 

Her locker had been fixed, much to her surprise, as she approached it, the dial unglued and the writing gone. The combination remained the same, Winry found, but wondered if it would be safer to have it changed. She felt a few loathsome glares land on her back, and couldn't suppress a shiver; but at least the Alphonse Fan Girls Club was less of a threat than Scar...all they were in danger of killing was her social life. A few minutes later, Alphonse himself came up beside her and began to enter his combination, smiling over at Winry as it swung open. The smile disappeared, however, as he caught view of her sullen face.  
"Winry? What's wrong?" he asked her quietly, touching her shoulder tentatively.  
"Er, nothing," Winry quickly assured him, attempting to plaster a grin to her face; it didn't work. It never did. At least, with Alphonse.  
"Winry, please, I know you're lying."  
"...yeah."  
"Can you just tell me what's upsetting you? I might be able to help."  
"If I say it, you'll get angry with me," she muttered. She knew well enough by now that saying Edward Elric's name within twenty feet of Alphonse earned you a dark look and an icy glare.  
He glanced at her in confusion.  
"Why?"  
"You just...will."  
Alphonse sighed.  
"I promise I won't, Winry. Really."  
Some how this wasn't very reassuring, but she sighed and mumbled,  
"It involves Edward."  
Immediately Alphonse's bright face became more shadowed with irritation and blatant hate; Winry was completely expecting it and let out a sigh.  
"I told you you would get mad."  
"What did he do, Winry?" Alphonse said, his voice soft, but his eyes flickering with obvious ill-intentions towards his older sibling. "Did he do something to you?"  
"...kind of. Look, Al, I'll talk to you about it later, this really isn't a good time," Winry said, her voice wary as she observed the contortion on Alphonse's face at the words 'kind of.'  
"Fine," he agreed quietly, and turned to pull a few things out of his locker before he closed it and walked away.  
With another sigh, Winry silently retrieved her own books and did the same, her senses sub-consciously alert for any sign of a threat; the din of Scar's shoes, the glint of a gun's shaft, the smell of blood and gun powder; anything. She was like a frightened cat, still scared, still defensive, and prepared to flee. Winry ignored the clench in her stomach as she passed another darker-skinned boy, but focused on his inky black hair, and assured herself that this boy was not Scar.

Walking as calmly as possible into the classroom, she was surprised to find that Paninya was not yet at her desk; usually her friend arrived here early so that they could talk longer, but not today. Slightly curious, Winry sat down at her own desk, eyes focusing on the door. One-by-one, her classmates trickled in, all taking their usual seats, but Paninya was not among them. What...?  
Winry's fear suddenly spiked. Paninya had been with her the evening she had encountered Scar.What if she had been shot and killed? Panic flooded her veins, Winry forcing herself to keep her mouth closed to avoid screaming out.  
Mustang-sensei strolled to the front of the room, and opened his mouth to announce,  
"Aetern-san will be absent today on account of...family issues."  
His black eyes narrowed at the end of his sentence, where he cleared his throat and proceeded to take roll. Winry let out a barely suppressed sigh of relief; Paninya wasn't dead, she was completely alive...but what was this about...family issues? If Mustang-sensei knew, she would ask him after class.  
"Rockbell-san."  
"Here," she offered, before placing her head in her hand and zoning out as he finished the roll-count and began the lesson.

Afterwards, when everyone else had flooded out of the classroom after the bell had rung, Winry approached him and asked quietly,  
"Mustang-sensei?"  
"Rockbell-san," he greeted her formally. "I hope nothing else of yours has been defaced or gone awry?"  
"Uh, no. I was wondering if you knew what family issues Paninya was having."  
"Ah, Aetern-san. Well," Mustang-sensei sighed, then looked up at her, face dead-panned.

"Aetern-san's father was murdered last night."

* * *

_Damn it, I don't think it was terror-filled enough. :( Maybe another time. Please review and tell me if it was terror-filled enough. XD Lawlz. Oh, and Paninya's last name 'Aetern,' was something I totally made up; it's based off of the title of the classical piece 'Lux Aeterna,' which means 'Eternal Light.' Very great song. :) Try youtubing (or Esnipsing) "Requiem For a Dream (Remix) - Clint Mansell" if you're interested in listening; I was listening to it the whole time I wrote this chapter. It's quite powerful. -rambles- _


	10. Chapter 9

**Brief Commentary:  
**Yay, the left arm feels all better! I lub you, God. -snuggles- Lulz, anyway.  
Where we left off, Winry just learned that her best friend's daddy died. Creepy. o0;; Well, since Paninya's dad never existed in the series to begin with (he was killed in the train accident that cost Pan her legs), I'm going to see if I can't do something like how Paninya would react. Properly and in character, that is. But you know, to get in the mood for this kind of depressing situation, Breaking Benjamin is extremely helpful to listen to. Yeyzerz for depression (well, actually not, seeing as my older sister had a severe case of depression at one point, and I have a second cousin or something who committed suicide because of his depression, but still...).

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Nine_

_Aetern-san's father was murdered last night._

Winry stared at him in disbelief, mouth slightly agape. Paninya's father had been murdered? Had it been...no, she couldn't bear to think of something like that. Swallowing the bile in her throat, she managed a squeaky, high-ptiched,  
"How?"  
"From what was in the paper this morning, a bullet through the head," Mustang-sensei answered coolly, folding his hands together as his elbows leaned on his desk. Mouth opening and closing in shock, Winry very much resembled a fish, until she drew in a sharp breath and quickly turned away, muttering a "Thank you, Mustang-sensei" before she walked quickly out of the classroom to go to her locker. Roy Mustang failed to reply, his eyes narrowed coldly and his lips twisted into something between a scowl and a frown.

"Al..." Winry came up behind him and tapped his shoulder, her voice quiet and subtle. But Alphonse heard it, and he quickly turned around.  
"Winry, what's wrong?"  
That was the second time he had asked her that in that morning.  
"You know how Pan's absent because of...family issues, right?"  
Alphonse nodded, his eyes flashing in concern. For whom, Winry couldn't decipher.  
"I asked Mustang-sensei why," she said carefully. "and he said..."  
"Winry?"  
"He said that...her...dad was murdered."  
He stared at her in confusion for a few awkward seconds, before his eyes seemed to glaze over in realization and he slumped against his locker in a very un-Alphonse-like manner. She at first was equally confused at his reaction, before she remembered. His own mother had died; he knew what it was like to lose a parent, just as Winry did.  
"Oh," was all he said in response. "Oh. That's...terrible. Horrible."  
Winry nodded, biting her lip to keep from sobbing. The inner-turmoil she was facing must have shown on her face, for Alphonse put a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder and offered a small, sad smile.  
"Let's go visit Paninya after school is over," he suggested. "I'll just have to make a call first. Let's try to make her feel a little better at least; we don't have to cheer her up."  
"...okay."

An unbelievable amount of guilt wracked the young Rockbell's insides as she sat down, alone, for lunch. The air was much colder than it had been the day before, and she had been extremely tempted to bring out the jacket from her locker. But Winry quickly found that she was so miserable she seemed to be immune to the cold. Unfortunately, her impending hunger was something she couldn't ignore; she hadn't brought a lunch that day, either, in preparation for another story from Paninya. So she sat alone on the grass, a particularly violent wind tugging at her hair as she stared at her scuffled shoes in utter sadness.

Had the murder of Paninya's father all been her fault? But now that she thought about it, both Paninya and Scar had similarly colored skin...even though their hair was different...could Scar possibly be...? No, no, definitely not. Winry shook her head to clear it of the excessive white noise buzzing in her ears. Edward hadn't shot Scar in the head; just the shoulder. That was right, wasn't it? Unless Edward had actually reloaded and gone after him...but no, he had been shot in two places. The older Elric might have been rude and unlikeable, but he certainly wasn't stupid when it came to common sense.  
But maybe Paninya's father's death had nothing to do with Scar or Edward; maybe just some common mugger had gotten hold of a gun had, tried to rob him and had used it. This was a depressing solution none-the-less, but Winry decided it made her feel a little better. However, suppose she was wrong? Suppose Scar had actually murdered Paninya's father?

Winry shivered and hugged herself, attempting to wipe away such thoughts. She was completely unprepared for a new-yet-familiar face to pop up so close to her own.  
"Ahhhhhhhgh!" She smacked it in self-defense and stood to move quickly to somewhere else. However, a clever hand had snaked out and grabbed her ankle, tripping her and causing her to fall face-first into the cold, hard ground.  
"Owww- what the hell, Ling?" Winry grumbled as she wrenched her foot from his grasp and crawled into a sitting position. Rubbing her sore nose, she glared at him fiercely. He also had managed to sit up, glancing back to keep one eye on Ranfan, who was not that far away as she shyly spoke to a few other girls.  
"Hey, Winry-san, was it?" he grinned, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Didn't mean to scare you."  
"Then don't do that! Is that a customary greeting where you come from or something?" she snapped at him.  
Ling's grin only grew wider.  
"Ha ha, not really. I've just always wanted to do that to some one besides Ranfan. Her reactions get boring after a while; she'll only punch me in the face. I haven't been slapped before," he explained, gently rubbing said slap-mark.  
"Hmph," she grunted, folding her arms over her chest. "You sure as hell deserved it."  
The exchange student nodded, his other eye still zeroed in on Ranfan; like a child on his mother as he attempted to steal cookies from the cookie jar. Winry had a sinking feeling that she was the cookie. But none-the-less, he looked pretty creepy with two pupils averted into different directions. She smacked him again.  
"Stop that!"  
"Ow, stop what?" Ling whined, holding the part of his head that had been hit. He tried to gain some sort of pitiful look, but it rather resembled a squinty-eyed, long-faced monkey glaring at her. Winry snorted in amusement.  
"That eye thing; it's freaking me out!"  
"Oh, this?"  
He did it again. She smacked him a third time and he let out a whimper.  
"Winry-san, that isn't very niiiice!" Ling whined.  
"Then stop doing it, moron!"  
"But I need to keep tabs on Ranfan; who knows what some boy could come and do to her!"  
"You just want to make sure she doesn't see you with me," Winry gave him a bored look that said 'Don't try to argue, asshole,' and wrapped her arms around herself again. Ling was silent for a few minutes before he spoke up again.  
"Where's your friend? Was it Paninya-san?"  
"Absent," she muttered.  
"Why?"  
"Family issues."  
"Are her parents getting separated?"  
"Fuck no," Winry growled at him.  
"..then what-"  
"It's none of your business!" she stood up suddenly, glaring furiously at the exchange student as he stared up at her in bewilderment.  
"I was just asking-"  
"Shut up!"  
With that, Winry stalked away at a relatively fast pace, determined to get as far away from Ling as she possibly could. She jerked at the familiar feeling of a hand wrapped tightly around her wrist. Trying not to show that she had flinched, she whipped around to find that the strong fingers enclosing her hand were those of Ling, and not the ones of Edward Elric, as she had, for some odd reason, expected. Winry was confused to find that she felt slightly disappointed at this. It was her turn to stare at him in surprise.  
"Winry-san, please tell me what is wrong with your friend," his voice, usually warm, had gone icy cold, and his grip on her wrist tightened unfathomably. It was not a request; it was an order. She stared at the ground, before Ling jerked her chin up with his other hand and gave her a stony glare.  
"It is rude in my country when you do not answer a question you have been asked; truthfully or not."  
As carefree as the exchange student had seemed, Winry felt herself now repressing a shiver. He was certainly frightening when he wanted to be.  
"Her...her father..."  
"Speak louder, please, Winry-san."  
"Her father was...he was..."  
"Stuttering does not suit you, Winry-san."  
"He was...murdered."  
She expected something like a gasp of surprise, or maybe a strange look, but much to her surprise, he released his hold on her wrist and removed his other hand from underneath her jaw and smiled at her. It was a kindly smile, a happy one; it wasn't reassuring, nor was it sympathetic.  
"Thank you, Winry-san," was all he said, before he walked off to join Ranfan.  
Rubbing her wrist sub-consciously, Winry could only stare after him, utterly dumb-founded. So he hadn't really cared about Paninya; he had just wanted her to answer his question? What kind of person _was_ Ling? Remembering the glare he had given her, she decided that she wouldn't think about it.

* * *

"Winry, are you ready to go?" Alphonse asked her as he closed his school book-bag and shut his locker.  
"Yeah." Winry did the same. Her face again had become sad, although she attempted to mask it as best she could. "Do you have a bike, Al?"  
"I usually take a car here and from here to back home. Would it be alright if we put your bicycle in the trunk and drove there?"  
She blinked at him in surprise. Oh well; Alphonse _was_ fairly wealthy. Not to mention he lived in the only mansion in the town. Suddenly she felt extremely sub-conscious, and began to chew her lip.  
"Sure, Al," Winry eventually smiled softly, before she, too, shut her locker and strolled outside with him, pointedly ignoring the death glares being fired her way from most of the female population near by. 

Once they were outside, Alphonse quietly said,  
"So, Winry...you said something about...my brother?"  
Caught off-guard, she nodded cautiously and kept herself from looking over at him.  
"What did he do?" his voice was extremely soft, but the iciness and hatred in it was also quite evident.  
"He..." Winry paused in attempt to think of a way to explain it. "Well, yesterday, I was walking home from school because I hadn't brought my bike, and I met up with Pan. We talked for a while, then she left when it started to get dark..."  
Alphonse stared at her with his complete attention, golden eyes blazing with many, many emotions she could not yet begin to decipher. They had stopped walking several minutes before. Slowly, Winry began to explain the events that had occurred the evening before, having to stop and reign in her emotions in a few places. She could still feel Edward's blood, lapping hungrily at her clothes and soaking her hands and hair. The smell of gun powder and tobacco still lingered in her nostrils, and Edward's panting still breathed heavily in her ear.  
When she had finished, Alphonse at first said nothing. He was so still, that if he wasn't standing up, and the rise and fall of his chest wasn't so evident, Winry could have very well mistaken him for a corpse. However, this thought was swept away the moment she glanced at his eyes.

Hatred, disgust, concern, fear, sadness, relief, anger, rage, exhaustion; those emotions and perhaps hundreds more boiled furiously in his golden irises, as he stared silently down at her. Suddenly, Winry felt very small. So small that if he so much breathed on her, she would be blown hundreds of miles away.  
"...are you okay now, Winry?" Alphonse said in a hushed voice, his hands clenched into fists and trembling from how hard he was squeezing them; his very knuckles were snowy white.  
"I'm a little traumatized," she admitted. "but I'm better."  
She nearly screamed as she felt hands clamp around her shoulders and Alphonse dragged her face extremely close to his. It had been the second time, she thought blankly, that she had been grabbed in such a violent manner that day.  
"The next time you see my brother, Winry," he told her in a gentle voice; it, however, was filled with fury and a dark hate. "please let me know, so that I can kill him."  
Winry gulped as he released her, and slowly nodded her head. She knew what he meant was not said in jest. Did the gap between to two Elrics extend so far as to the threat, no, the promise of murder? Suddenly her fear began to flow back, and Winry immediately set her gaze to the ground.  
"Let's...let's just go, Al," she said quickly, trying her damnedest to hide the quiver in her voice as she began to walk again toward the bike rack. Suddenly it seemed much further away. Alphonse said nothing in response, but she could hear the soft scuffle of his shoes as he followed her.

Mouth dry, Winry wondered desperately to herself how the fuck she had gotten swept up in this in the first place.

* * *

_Sorry about Ling's personality; it has to do with up-coming plot events (yay again for plot structure)! Breaking Benjamin was especially helpful when writing that. :) And yes, Alphonse was not kidding when he said he would like to kill his Nii-san.  
On another note, I will probably be rewriting the first few chapters (or who knows, I might re-write the whole damn thing), because I really dislike how it starts out. Please review!  
_


	11. Chapter 10

**Brief Commentary:  
**Yay! Thanks to terrible, nasty weather, school is off for today, then it's the weekend! Maybe fairies really do exist...-shifty eyes- But anyway, I decided I would take this opportunity to write the next chapter (as well as edit a few past ones that may need it). I'm a little nervous - how the hell do you make Paninya sad? It just doesn't work. I guess I'll just have to grit my teeth and get to it then.

Side Note: Huzzah! We're on Chapter Ten - already?!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**_  
Chapter Ten  
_

After they had retrieved Winry's bicycle, the car had arrived, pulling up almost as soon as she had unchained it.With a small grunt, she removed it from the bike rack and, along with the assistance from the driver, put it carefully into the trunk. The man closed the trunk door in a surprisingly quiet manner, then gestured for her to climb into the vehicle. Obediently, she did, and slid into the back passenger's seat next to Alphonse. When the car was started and drove away from the school, it was in utter silence.

It remained that way for the entire trip to Paninya's house. Winry couldn't help but worry - how would her friend be holding up? She didn't think she had ever seen Paninya upset...ever. Angry, certainly, but never in anything that might lead to tears. Chewing her lip, Winry nearly jumped as she felt a light touch on her shoulder. Turning her head, her eyes met Alphonse's; she found that his were full of equal concern. She felt a little weight leave her shoulders. At least he had (for now) left thoughts of his brother behind and begun to feel anxious for Paninya. Hugging herself, Winry gave him a weak smile in return.

The very aura surrounding Paninya's house was grim as the two stepped out of the car. Alphonse had turned to ask the driver to pick them up in an hour or so before the vehicle drove off, leaving them behind to stare helplessly at one another. After a few moments, they began to slowly walk forward, a depressing sensation beginning to invade their insides. Eventually they reached the door, Winry carefully knocking, then ringing the doorbell when there was not a response. A minute or so passed, before the door opened, and a dark-skinned, well-dressed woman, who was a bit more feminine shaped than Paninya, stood in front of them. Her eyes were dull, and her black hair was falling ungracefully from its careful bun as she seemed to slump against the door frame.  
"May I help you?" she said quietly.  
"We're friends of Paninya's...we came to visit her," Alphonse responded in an equally solemn manner, extending his hand to shake. The woman hesitantly reached out her own hand to shake his, and a tiny, sad smile rose to her lips.  
"I'm glad her friends are concerned for her - maybe you can cheer her up...a little. Her father really was the world to her...I'm her mother. Please come...in."  
The woman began to cry again, tears flowing down her face as her legs gave under her. Winry rushed forward to catch her under her arms, and allowed Paninya's mother to lean on her as she wept. With a quick, pained look for Alphonse to go ahead upstairs and find Paninya, she awkwardly began to pat her head, and blushed as she muttered,  
"It'll be okay, Oba-san, it'll be okay. You can cry all you want, Oba-san."

Long after Alphonse had gone upstairs, Paninya's mother eventually began to stifle her crying and angrily wiped away her tears, shame-faced.  
"I'm sorry," she murmured, "for crying on you like that when I don't even know your name..."  
"Rockbell, Winry," Winry offered. "I'm sorry for calling you...Oba-san so quickly."  
"No, that's fine," she smiled weakly. "I'm Aetern, Mary."  
"Mary-san..."  
"Please, you can still call me Oba-san," Mary chuckled quietly, obviously biting back another sob as she stood up. "I'll just go lie down on the couch."'  
Winry said nothing as the woman left her in the door way, where the cold air was still rushing into the house with every gust of wind. Closing it, she quietly climbed up the staircase, ignoring the creaks it made as she did, and found herself in a narrow, carpeted hallway with various doors lining the sides of the walls. At the end of the hall way, Alphonse sat near the last door, his head perched on his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs as he leaned against it.  
"Al?" she asked cautiously. Looking up, a small frown lingered on his lips as he said,  
"I was asked not to come in."  
"Oh..."  
"Winry, please, try."  
"...okay."  
Hesitantly she knocked on the door, and ignoring the "Go the hell away, mom," she twisted the knob open and stepped inside.

Paninya lay curled into the fetal position on her bed, still in her pajamas, hands covering her face as tears leaked from her eyes. A roiling stench coming from a bowl near her bedside tipped Winry off that her friend had already thrown up several times.  
"Pan, it's me," she whispered, avoiding the discarded clothes lying on the floor as she moved closer. The dark-skinned girl cracked an eye open as Winry joined her on the bed, dipping the mattress slightly with the extra weight.  
"...Win?"  
Furiously, Paninya wiped away the tears on her face and sat up, trying to look angry with her friend as she demanded. "Why the hell are you here?"  
"I heard, Pan. And I'm so sorry." Winry attempted to give her a hug, but was disappointed as she quickly slithered out of the embrace.  
"Go away!" she growled at her. "Just leave me alone - you can't possibly-"  
"Know what it's like?" Now it was her turn to grow angry. "_Both_ of my parents were murdered; did you forget? Five years ago. And the police _still_ don't know who did it. Don't try to tell me I don't know what it feels like to lose a parent! You're being really selfish, Paninya! Just because your father died doesn't mean you have the right to say what you want, nor does it mean the world revolves around you! Dammit, Paninya-"  
Before Winry could finish her raging, she was cut off when Paninya fell onto her and wrapped her arms around her waist, beginning to cry harder than she had been before as her head rested against her friend's stomach. Through the chokes and sobs, she thought she heard something like,  
"Sorry, sorry, sorry...I'm sorry...really sorry...sorry!"  
Her fury melted away easily, and the blonde-haired adolescent in turn wrapped her arms around Paninya's shoulders, muttering,  
"Can Al come in now?"  
There was a nod.  
"Al," Winry said loudly.  
The door opened and there he stood, concern and confusion etched into his handsome face as he took in the sight of the slightly hysterical Paninya clutching Winry to her as she cried.  
"Al," she said a little more softly. "Help me out here."  
Understanding what she meant, Alphonse gently pried Paninya's arms away from Winry's waist (again, her stomach twitched at the brief contact of his hands on her skin) and lifted her to lean against the head board of her bed. Knowing he had no place on top of her mattress, he instead sat on the floor. His relatively large height helped keep him in view; the bed was also not that far off of the ground.

Groping around for something to hold onto, Paninya eventually found a pillow and held it tightly to her, quietly crying into the soft cotton fabric before she looked up, red-eyed, at her friends. Clearing her throat, she began with,  
"I'm sorry."  
"Why?" Winry asked gently, leaning forward to remove a strand of hair from Paninya's face.  
"...I'm being a bitch."  
"No, I was," she quickly realized what she meant. "You're upset over your father's death, and I should've understood that better. I forgot how awful it is to lose a parent." Here she let her gaze drop to her hands, folded neatly in her lap. Alphonse allowed this dialogue to pass. As confused as he was, he knew it had been something the two girls had needed to sort out first for themselves.  
"Paninya," he began, after several moments passed in silence. "I've also heard about your father. I also lost my mother several years ago, but I still feel upset whenever I think about her. She was a wonderful woman. Just as I'm sure your father was a wonderful man."  
She nodded slowly.  
"I...I do not believe in God," Alphonse said quietly, "so I don't think I'll say that he will be watching you from the heavens. Once a creature is dead, I'm afraid that it is dead. However, I'm certain that he loved you, his only child, very much, and that if he were still alive, he wouldn't want you to be this sad. Instead of crying for his death, try to celebrate his life, and everything he did. I'll bet that's what he would want."  
Winry felt her own insides squirm in grief as she thought back on her parents, and she had to bite her lip to keep a few tears from escaping her.  
"Y-yeah," she laughed awkwardly, leaning back against the mattress, "What Al said."  
Paninya remained silent, before she let out a muffled,  
"Thanks."  
She emitted a few more shuddering sobs before she quieted down again, and, discarding the pillow, looked up at her friends again.  
"Thanks," she repeated, and threw her arms around both Winry and Alphonse. "Thanks so much."  
Winry found that her throat was blocked by a sob she herself wanted to let out, and was kept from saying anything. Alphonse answered for her,  
"No problem, Paninya."  
With a sad smile, the dark-skinned girl pulled away and slid off of the bed, crossing to the other side of the room before turning and asking,  
"Have you guys eaten? I'm sure you're hungry."  
The two glanced at each other and chuckled, both nodding.  
"Let's eat then," Paninya offered a slightly cheerful grin before throwing open the door and leading them downstairs.  
"Mom!" she called, "We're going to eat, do you want anything?"  
Her expression saddened again as her mother appeared, cheeks wet with tears as she walked into the kitchen, glancing at her daughter with concern. Mary's face lightened when she saw Paninya's improved condition, and sent a quick look of thanks at Alphonse and Winry.  
"Well," Mary said carefully, "I do believe we have pasta in the fridge that needs heating up."  
Paninya smiled and nodded.  
"'Kay, mom."

* * *

_This chapter is a bit short, but I kind of ran out of things to do here. :/ -sigh- Who knows. I might add to it later. At least it didn't end all depressingly. Don't worry though, there will be plenty more things to cry over later. :) -is evil-  
_

_Oba-san: Aunt (Aunty, what ever) _


	12. Chapter 11

**Brief Commentary:  
**For all those who are upset that Edward has not been making an appearance (in every chapter??), fear not! He will definitely be in...the next one. Lawl. I'm going to be mauled, aren't I? Tee hee. Catch me if you can! -skips away- Anyway, here's chapter eleven.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Eleven_

After they had all eaten and conversed, the mood in the house lightened significantly from sullen to slightly hopeful. At first, Alphonse and Winry were hesitant to leave, concerned that their friend and her mother might suffer a relapse. However, they were shooed off, Mary insisting that the both of them would be fine. Alphonse had also remembered that the car would be waiting for them, so with a few hurried good byes, a couple of "Thank you"s, and "No problem"s, the two left. Mary couldn't help but smile at her daughter.  
"Paninya, you have nice friends."  
Paninya only grinned and playfully hit her mother's upper-arm.  
"Guess so."

The trip to drop Winry off at her apartment was also spent in silence, although both Alphonse and herself kept sneaking glances at the other, blushing and looking away when their eyes met. However, they were reassured by the satisfied smiles that had appeared on the other's face, and the glancing cooled off after a few minutes.  
"I'm really glad we could help them," Winry began quietly.  
Alphonse nodded, still staring out his window.  
"You think Pan will show up at school tomorrow?"  
"Dunno," he shrugged his shoulders. "Hope so."  
"Heh...me too, then."  
They lapsed once again into silence, listening to the sounds of the vehicle's tires rolling over gravel and pavement alike, refusing to look at the other. It was met with much relieved tension when the car pulled up at her apartment. She could hardly make out the concerned face of her grandmother peering out a window as she climbed out of the car, book bag in tow, and began to walk towards the staircase. Winry waved without turning around to say good bye to Alphonse, and proceeded to leap up the stairs, pretending not to hear as the car pulled away and left. And pretending that she didn't care if Alphonse had waved back or not. Shrugging this off, she smiled as she reached her level and strode quickly over to the door designating the rooms she and Pinako lived in. Opening it, she was greeted by the sight of an impatient grandmother, smoking her pipe and tapping her foot expectantly.

"Hi, Baa-chan."  
"You said you would be home early? After what happened last night?"  
"I can explain, Baa-chan." Here Winry made some sort of strangled noise.  
"Do tell."  
"My friend, Paninya; you remember her, right?"  
"I believe I've seen her around a few times."  
"Her...her father was murdered last night. So I went to visit her, because she didn't show up at school today."  
Pinako flinched, before regaining her composure.  
"I appreciate the fact that you went to comfort your friend," she said slowly. "but could you have at least called? Look outside, Winry, it's dark."  
"Baa-chan, I _am_ outside. Could I please come in? It's cold..."  
Her grandmother twitched, sighed, then nodded, allowing her granddaughter to step into the small foyer and shutting the door behind her.  
"I'm sorry I didn't call," Winry bowed her head. "I was afraid that..."  
She trailed off.  
"Winry?" Pinako pressed. "Afraid of what?"  
"It's nothing, Baa-chan," Winry shook her head. "Honest. I have some homework to do, so I need to go work on it."  
With a quick turn of her head, the blonde-haired girl quickly ran off to her room, leaving her grandmother to emit an exasperated sigh. Glaring after her, Pinako muttered,  
"Damned cagey thing...when will I ever be able to know what the hell is going on?"

* * *

Winry found herself in a similar position from the second night she had spent in the city. Her homework had been completed this time at 12:02 AM, according to her alarm clock, but she still was unable to sleep, even as she was curled up in her sheets. However, this time there was a reason. Unpleasant thoughts plagued her mind, thoughts filled with guilt, blood and tears. An image of the man, Scar, flickered in her mind's eye, and she shuddered, clutching a pillow closer to her body. He was still after her, as far as she knew...and she wouldn't be the only one in danger. Her grandmother might also be in his line of fire. Perhaps even Alphonse and Paninya too. And...she bit her lip as she remembered Edward's condition. He might be killed, too. 

Inwardly she scolded herself. Who the hell cared about Edward?! Winry let out a huff and buried her face angrily into her pillow, grumbling incoherently. He had accused her of lying, practically strangled her, dangled her several feet in the air only to drop her, thrown her to the ground, given her a bruise on her wrist, called her a bitch, smoked, had gorgeous eyes and a hot body, protected her from Scar, wounded Scar, fended him off, kept her from running away and increasing her chances of getting shot, and she had to admit that even his smoker smell was actually a little sexy- Winry banged her head violently against her head board as she realized she was listing all of the bastard's _good_ traits.  
"Dammit!" she growled as she smacked her nose a little too hard, blood beginning to drip onto her upper lip. "That hurt!"  
With an angry snarl, the blonde-haired adolescent groped for her tissue box on her nightstand, muttering curses under her breath as she found them. Snatching a tissue from its cardboard container, she held it to her nose until the bleeding subsided several minutes later.

Blushing hotly as she remembered her previous thoughts, Winry let out another huff and pulled the sheets up over her head, hoping desperately that she could just fall asleep already. Unfortunately that was not to occur until a grueling thirty minutes later, when, at last, exhausted from her confusing thoughts, Winry drifted off. The dream wasn't much better, unluckily for her. It turned out to be a reenactment of the night previous, albeit a more twisted version.

_Fear. Hysteria. Desperation. Terror. Anxiety. Panic. Blood._

_"Stop screaming," a voice whispered hoarsely in her ear. "Shut up. Don't move."_

_A round of bullets. A hiss as one bit into **his** flesh. She tried to scream again, but she found it too hard to breathe. A roiling stench of corpses entered her nose, and she felt that she might retch._

_There was another long round of gunfire, the last bullet making a soft 'thunk' sound as it met the back of **his** skull. With a guttural groan, **his** body fell still on top of her, and **his** hands loosened from her throat._

_She screamed. Cried. Shouted. Raged. Sobbed. Wept. Felt **his** life drain away on top of her, **his** blood dying her crisp white uniform a dark crimson. As she attempted to crawl out from underneath **his **body, she heard foot steps. They were loud._

_Fearfully, she looked up, to see a faceless man point a gun at her forehead. She felt tears fall from her eyes as she began to beg for her life._

_"Please don't kill me. Please, please, please. Don't...don't kill me, please. I don't want to die. Don't want to. No, no. Please...please, please don't kill me..."_

_The figure stepped into the light, to reveal the torn-looking face of Alphonse, his dirty-golden hair shining dimly in the street light. Tears streaked down his own cheeks as the gun he held shook in his hand._

_"How could you..." he whispered. "How could you, Winry..."_

_"I'm sorry," she apologized fervently. "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. Honest. I didn't. Please...I'm so sorry...don't kill me, please, I'm sorry."_

_He fired the gun._

Winry woke up with a startled gasp, her body drenched in sweat as she began to realize that she was no longer outside on the street, with a dead Edward Elric lying on top of her, and a hysterical Alphonse pointing a gun at her. With a glance at her clock, she realized that it would be time for her to wake up in twenty minutes. Feeling a few stray tears escape her, Winry wiped them away and climbed out of bed to wash her face.

When she reached the bathroom, she realized with much relief that the nightmare was beginning to fade from her mind - she couldn't even remember who it was that had died. Opening the door and crossing over to the sink, she turned the cold water tap and began to splash her face, hoping to clear away the sweat and refresh herself. From the clock on the wall, she still had a while until she needed to begin getting ready. With a glance at the shower, she decided that it would be best to clean herself up entirely. It would feel good, and she would be clean. Shutting off the sink, the blonde-haired adolescent proceeded to walk across the small bathroom to the shower, twisting the knob so that it was set on relatively hot water.

Waiting a few minutes, Winry pulled off her night clothes and underthings before stepping inside, letting out a long sigh as the warm water met the skin on her back, and almost felt ready to fall back asleep. She stood, leaning against the tiled wall, for some time (she hadn't bothered to keep track), before she decided it would be best to start washing. Applying her shampoo and conditioner was a relatively quick process, but Winry decided to take it more slowly as she began to scrub at her body with the pineapple-scented body wash Pinako had bought for her recently. It wasn't until she heard the low din of her alarm clock going off that she decided it would be best to step out and get dressed.

It was roughly 7:18 AM when Winry walked into the kitchen, dressed and with her wet hair done up in a bun. Not surprised to find Pinako there, already making breakfast, she pulled out a seat and sat down at the small kitchen table. Noting her granddaughter's presence, Pinako asked without turning to look at her,  
"I heard the shower running earlier. You hungry for pancakes today?"  
Winry made an 'uh huh' sound in response.

The pancakes were ready a few minutes later, Winry eating as quickly as possible before deciding it was time to leave.  
"Will you be taking your bike today?" her grandmother asked calmly as she put the dirty plates and silver ware into the cramped dishwasher. She nodded.  
"I've been mooching off of the bus a lot lately; I'll get fat if I'm not careful."  
Pinako grinned.  
"That's what I call sensible. See you this _afternoon_, Winry. For fuck's sake, don't come home late again!"  
"Later, Baa-chan," she rolled her eyes and waved as she walked out the door.

* * *

_Well, technically he **did **appear...lol, when I scrolled back up to make sure there were no typos (that I could see), Pinako's "Damned cagey thing" line said "Damned cagey thEnter your away message here.ing" XDD _


	13. Chapter 12

**Brief Commentary:  
**I'm sure for any one who is a fan of Edward in this story is secretly singing the song "See You Again" in their heads while they scroll down the fanfiction pages in search of a possible update from RNFYE. Or maybe it would be Winry? XD I've actually been listening to it a lot lately...anyway, Eddo _does_ make a reappearance in this chapter, but, as usual, it's anything but a happy occasion. For the characters. Not you. The _characters_. :) Please review!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears  
**_Chapter Twelve_

A week since the murder of Paninya's father and the incident Winry had suffered alongside Edward had passed on rather peacefully. With much relief (and oddly, disappointment), the young Rockbell had not yet encountered the older Elric, nor the man, Scar. She, Alphonse and Paninya had attended Aetern-san's funeral to pay their last respects before he was buried. The coffin had been closed when they arrived, and Winry had yet to see even a picture of his face, so the man's appearance was so far a complete mystery to her. Perhaps, when they arrived back at Paninya's house, she would ask for a photograph of him. Chewing her lip, she shifted uncomfortably in her slim black dress, toes aching painfully in the heels she wore as Winry attempted to settle back against the leather seat of Mary's car.

It took Alphonse little to no time to notice her distress.  
"Winry?"  
Distractedly, she glanced up at him and attempted to put a reassuring smile on her face.  
"Yeah, what?"  
"Are you okay?" his eyes glimmered with slight anxiety, as well as grief from the funeral procession.  
"I'm fine, Al," Winry airily waved with one hand, attempting to brush off his concern. Not surprisingly, it didn't work.  
"You're not fine, Winry."  
She turned her head to hide the blush dusting her cheeks.  
"Okay, so I'm not. So what?"  
The blonde-haired adolescent heard an audible sigh from Paninya, who was seated on the other side of Al.  
"You guys sound like you should be going out," she said idly, tapping her fingers on the arm rest.  
"W-what the hell? Don't be ridiculous, Pan!" Winry glared at her friend, obviously embarrassed at the suggestion. With some relief, she noticed Alphonse nod his head in agreement.  
"Don't make such unsupported assumptions, Paninya," he eventually got around to chiding her, "after all, what would you think if Winry and I teased you about that kind of thing?"  
Paninya glared at him and looked away.  
"Shut up..." she grumbled, propping her head on her elbow rest as she shot seething looks out the window.  
"Oh, is there some one you haven't told me about, Pan?" Winry couldn't help but grin, leaning over Alphonse's legs to put both her hands on Paninya's shoulders.  
"Shut up," Paninya repeated, sticking out her tongue. Her blood-shot eyes, which were evidence from her long cry at the funeral, now glittered with defiance and a "Make Me" expression darted across her face for a fleeting moment. Deciding she would have no success with the dark-skinned girl, Winry retreated back to her seat and instead turned to Alphonse.  
"Al?"  
"...let's not talk about it now, Winry," he said quietly. "Paninya's still upset after the funeral, so could this slide?"  
Winry felt an emotion that could only be identified as shame creep down her face as her shoulders slumped. She muttered a small,  
"You're right. Never mind, Al."  
He attempted to smile reassuringly at her, but the smile melted into a sad upturn of the lips, and Winry had to look away as silence overtook the car. She appreciated the fact that Mary, Paninya's mother, had not said a word the whole time. It would make everything much worse if she had decided to butt in during the previously running conversation.

The remainder of the drive to Paninya's house seemed to trail on forever, until Winry could hardly contain herself when they pulled into her friend's driveway. Eager to escape the confines of the vehicle, she was the first one outside, quickly stretching her cramped legs. Promising herself that she would remove her painfully high-heeled shoes as soon as physically possible, Winry impatiently waited as the remainder of the car's passengers climbed out and Mary made her way to the front door, quietly unlocking it and allowing them inside. Quickly yanking off her heels, she put them near the door and padded after Alphonse and Paninya as they were invited into the kitchen.

Not much was spoken as Mary offered everyone warm soup, in hopes to relieve them of some dreariness. This was met with quiet mutterings of 'Thanks' and 'I guess I'm hungry' as the three teenagers stared moodily at the table they sat at. Paninya looked ready to collapse (whether it was in tears or from stress was debatable), Alphonse appeared to be calmly resting his hands on the table, but there was enough sheer concentration in face to keep him from actually breaking the table from what must've been great inner turmoil. Winry also seemed to be perfectly fine, appearance-wise, but her fingers were clenched tightly into fists, her very knuckles white. Gritting her teeth, she looked up with what she hoped to be a nonchalant expression at Paninya's mother and asked politely,  
"When will the soup be ready?"  
With a quick glance in her direction, Mary replied,  
"Less than a minute. I apologize for the lack of funeral reception...at the moment we're a bit low on money, even with her father's insurance...but I suppose it can't be helped..." Mary chewed her lip and looked away.  
"Oh," Winry said tonelessly, her gaze dropping to her lap. "That's okay."

* * *

The soup had tasted good. That's all she really remembered as she trailed towards her neighborhood after just getting off of a bus. Too busy to be concerned with Winry's condition and how hard it would be to walk nine blocks in high heels, the driver had refused to go any further before turning around. She had been angry for several minutes, but eventually the emotion faded into one more sullen and pessimistic. Winry became withdrawn into her thoughts, easily ignoring the strange looks being sent her way from passerby as they observed her black demeanor. Regardless of the quickly approaching spring weather, the evening air was still chilly, and she was forced to draw her black jacket closer to herself as she began to walk more briskly. Damn...she was so cold...next it'd be snowing or something... 

If she hadn't nearly tripped over a garbage bag that was a little too far out of the alley way she was passing, she wouldn't have noticed the silent, still figure that lay slumped against a dumpster. As if it were dead. It had been in the middle of her cursing the garbage that it caught her attention, and immediately her mouth closed. Winry, for a long time, could only stare at it. Finally, a word tumbled from her lips.

"Edward?"

There was no mistake.

As she cautiously stepped closer, Winry grimaced at his condition. Bruised and battered (more so than usual), the number of holes in his filthy wife-beater had become huge, gaping tears - soon the shirt would fall off by itself regardless. Blood dripped freely from a gash in his side, pooling onto the frozen ground beside him. The wound in his upper arm had been wrapped in a strip of dirty cloth, but it had done little to stop the bleeding, and some kind of pungent bodily fluid stained the make-shift bandage. Her gut lurched as she realized that his bullet wound had become infected...and what of the other one? She was almost afraid to examine it. Had he been foolish enough to even leave the bullets inside him?

Winry couldn't stop herself as she retched onto the ground, her vomit spattering at the cement. Her throat became sore as her stomach kept finding more and more things to reject, and all Winry found herself able to do was slump onto the pavement, hands supporting her, as she heaved. It took her several minutes to finish before she pulled a tissue out of her coat pocket. It was already half soaked with tears and some snot from her nose (courtesy of attending Paninya's father's funeral), but it would do. After she had wiped her mouth, Winry turned to face Edward's half-dead form again and sucked in a deep breath, before gingerly stepping over to him.

Carefully avoiding his puddle of blood and the wounds he bore on his body, she heaved him upright, biting her lip as his head rolled lifelessly from her effort. One eye-lid opened, the gold pupil there now clouded with illness as he took in her form, before it fluttered closed.  
"Edward!" she hissed desperately. "Can you try to walk?"  
There was no response from him besides a quiet groan, before he fell silent. Winry's face drew grim as she continued to attempt at hoisting him up, letting out a strangled breath as she managed to grip his good arm and place it around her shoulder, the other one dangling uselessly at his side. It wasn't necessary for a doctor to be present in order to decide that it was probably dislocated. She attempted to take a step, but ended up nearly falling down again.  
"Damn high heeled shoes," she swore under her breath, slowly using her other hand to pry them off of her feet and pick them up, before the hand wrapped around the back of Edward's torso. So began the long process of dragging an unconscious, injured Edward Elric nine blocks to her apartment on the third floor of the building. Damn it.

It wasn't until it had become quite dark outside that, with heaving breaths and a sweaty disposition, Winry approached the door to her apartment, nearly leaning against the door as she rang the door bell. Immediately it swung open, revealing an enraged Pinako Rockbell standing directly in front of her.  
"Winry, what the fuck took you-" it took her a split second to see and analyze Edward before she nodded grimly and said, "Bring him inside."  
"Thanks, Baa-chan," Winry said breathlessly, entering as quickly as she could before dropping Edward onto their couch with a sigh of relief. She winced as she remembered that the apartment managers would be unhappy with any blood stains left behind...she shook her head. This wasn't the time to worry...

Pinako reappeared a few minutes later with a first aid kit and a few other medical tools, her face perfectly serious as she made her way over to her granddaughter and the boy on the couch.  
"What's his condition?" she asked briskly, wasting no time in tearing off the remnants of his shirt.  
"He's lost a lot of blood, and he...he has two infected gun shot wounds, the gash in his side...I think his left arm was dislocated, too...the one with the bullet wound."  
"Jesus Christ," Pinako muttered. "Where does this boy live? Did you find an I.D.?"  
"No," Winry answered truthfully.  
"Is the boy a fucking moron?" her grandmother growled as she examined him, "he left the goddamn bullets _in_. Too much of a wuss to pull them out, I bet. And now an infection has set in for both wounds. He was lucky - the second one on his back was an inch or so away from his spinal cord...however, if the infection spreads, that may damage it."  
Winry paled as her grandmother's expression became grave.

"The boy is in rather lethal condition."

* * *

_Oh, Pinako's medical experience, I imagine, comes from Winry's parents being doctors. Either they learned some things from her, or she picked up on a few practices herself. :) And the dislocated left arm is the same one with the bullet wound in it.  
_


	14. Chapter 13

**Brief Commentary:  
**Oh ho ho! Mad skills! Two updates two days in a row! Maybe tomorrow I'll write another. -intelligent smirk- Anyway, I'm hoping this all goes well - I'm not very experienced when it comes to the medical area, so I might get a few descriptions wrong here...peh. I suppose I can always ask my dad to let me examine a few of his guns/bullets for reference...hrm. Anything you don't get, search Wikipedia. :)

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirteen_

Winry's head buzzed with fatigue and nausea as she observed the blood that still dripped from Edward's wounds, and the prodding of her grandmother's nimble fingers as she examined his condition and estimated how deep into his flesh the bullets had bitten. Although the gash in his side had been bandaged, a dark red stain was still present against the stark white cloth.

"They're hollow-point bullets," Pinako had explained briskly. "The worst kind because they're difficult to get out. With these two, we're a little lucky - their expansion is at its minimum, so it may be slightly easier. Winry, get me the tweezers."  
The blonde adolescent was certain she didn't want to know how exactly her grandmother knew this, and had quickly gone to do as she had asked. She had nearly retched again when Pinako began to explore his gunshot wounds, poking and pulling at his skin and the flesh in his arm until she discovered the depth of the first bullet, which had been close to shattering the bone in his upper arm. Fortunately, it had only buried itself in by a few inches. Expertly, her grandmother had pried the hollow-point out with the tweezers, before handing the expanded bullet to Winry and ordering her to throw it away. Noticing the blood and pus that had oozed out along with it, she eagerly obeyed.

With the first bullet removed and the wound cleaned, Pinako quickly turned to the second, her face grim as she flipped him onto his stomach to examine it. She let out a low whistle.  
"He really is lucky."  
Repeating her previous actions of prodding and drawing back his skin, she asked again for the tweezers and Winry gave them, her face white with fear and anxiety. Her grandmother slowly eased the tweezers into the wound, before she pulled it out and tried again. Once more she removed it and gripped at the wrist holding them, muttering,  
"My hands are shaking so much...damn it."  
"Baa-chan, maybe we should just take him to the hospital - they can do something. Please, let's just-"  
"No hospitals," Pinako snapped, interrupting her. "The bastards there let your parents die. We're fine here."  
Winry quickly drew back, as if burned, and quietly sat down, staring at her hands folded in her lap. With a sigh, her grandmother turned back to Edward, focusing her attention completely on the gunshot wound as she carefully re-inserted the tweezers. After several minutes of a tense, thick silence the elderly Rockbell let out a hiss of frustration as she was once again unsuccessful.  
"I can't do with such damn shaky hands. Winry."  
She looked up.  
"You do it."  
"Me?" Winry stared at her in disbelief.  
"Who the hell else is here?" Pinako glared at her. "Do it."  
"But I don't know how to do that kind of thing!"  
"You put the tweezers in there and pull the fucking bullet out, Winry! How hard is it?"  
"But what if I make it worse?"  
"Then you make it worse. _Do it._"

Nervously Winry took the tweezers from her grandmother and slowly approached Edward's unmoving figure, her own hands trembling. Cautiously peering down at the bullet hole, she felt she might be sick again at the metallic glint she could see buried into his flesh. Stretching the skin around the wound so that the tweezers wouldn't catch on anything on their way in and out, Winry hesitantly eased them in, flinching when she heard a tiny 'tap' as metal met metal. Nearly dropping the tweezers, she attempted to regain her composure before allowing the two prongs to open a little ways as she tried to clasp them around the bullet. Eventually she felt them clutch the expanded part of the bullet and did her best to begin easing it out, praying that she wouldn't drop it. Winry nearly collapsed with relief when the hollow-point finally left the confines of Edward's flesh. Instead, she fell to her knees. Pinako understood her granddaughter's stress and took over, cleaning the wound and removing the pus that had bubbled up in response, until it was clear of all discharge and had been bandaged. When she finished, she turned to see Winry offering her the expanded bullet.

"Winry," Pinako gently accepted it. "Scrub your hands and clean him up while I throw this away. We have to make sure that the second bullet wound doesn't get infected, and that the rest of him is washed and bandaged. This boy's still in terrible condition, regardless of whether or not the bullets are in him or out of him."

"O-okay," she nodded, standing on weak legs to go towards the sink. Turning the water to lukewarm, Winry allowed herself plenty of soap as she washed, not wanting to leave a single contagious germ behind that could possibly infect his wounds. After rinsing off the suds and wiping her hands with a clean dish towel, Winry sucked in a deep breath and turned back to Edward, still lying limply on the couch. How long would he stay like that? Chewing her lip, she strode to his side, placing a hand to his exposed back then quickly drawing it away as she realized how feverish he really was.

She reported this to her grandmother as soon as she had returned from throwing out the bullet, but had been waved off.  
"Infection's more important than the fever," was all Pinako had said in response, before she proceeded to clean and bandage other wounds on his back. The deep gash in his side wouldn't stop bleeding, however, and much time and effort was spent pressing into the injury to suppress the blood flow. The majority of their ointment, cloths, and gauze had to be used to do so, but fortunately the remainder of his injuries were less extreme. They could easily be cleaned and bandaged through the simple use of a damp washcloth and a normal band aid, which were used. He was then turned to lie on his back and left alone after a cold cloth was put on his forehead to decrease his feverish temperature.

So, several hours after they had begun (it was approximately 12:47 AM), both Winry and Pinako sat opposite each other in their family room/kitchen, silently observing Edward's unmoving body. After a few minutes, Winry spoke up,  
"Baa-chan, would it be okay if I took tomorrow off from school? I want to make sure he stays okay."  
Pinako gave her a look.  
"Winry, you forget that I'll be home. I can handle it."  
"Yeah, but...uh...I kind of haven't told you...I guess I was too panicked to think..."  
"...told me what?" her grandmother, with her pipe now in her mouth, observed her warily.  
"You know the boy who I met on the street...and he gave me a bruise on my wrist and ran away...?" Winry asked slowly. Pinako nodded with impatience.  
"Yes, Winry, I remember."  
"Er...that's him."  
The elderly Rockbell blinked in surprise, before she leaned back against her chair and let out a short, exasperated breath.  
"I thought so."  
Now it was her turn to be surprised.  
"Baa-chan...?"  
"Never mind, Winry," Pinako dismissed the conversation quickly, Winry knowing well enough that it would be useless to attempt to continue it.  
Another few minutes passed before she repeated her earlier question. Her grandmother only sighed and gave a small nod.  
"You've been through a lot tonight, anyway," she muttered. "I'm going to go on ahead to bed. Unlike you, I'm rather tired."  
"Okay, Baa-chan," Winry smiled at her in thanks. "I'll be up in a second. Do we have any old shirts of Chichi-ue's?"  
Her grandmother looked thoughtful for a moment before she gave a hesitant nod.  
"I think so. Try checking the old boxes in the hall closet. We probably have something...is it for the boy...Edward, was it?"  
"Yeah," Winry attempted to hide her blush, but it showed rather easily. "His old shirt's obviously filthy and torn - would it even be called a shirt anymore?"  
Pinako smiled knowingly.  
"Don't think so."  
With that, the elderly Rockbell rose from her chair and disappeared to her room.

Winry glanced back over to Edward; his face, which had before been contorted with pain and agony, now seemed more peaceful, as if he were in a light doze. Standing up from the stool she sat on, she padded quietly over to his side, moving the wet cloth to feel his forehead. His temperature still hadn't gone down, but the cloth, at least, was still cool. Putting it back in its place, she watched the rise and fall of Edward's chest, noticing in great detail the scars that decorated his torso in intricate, random patterns. Winry found herself tempted to trace her fingers along them, just to see where the scars would lead her. Her face grew red at the thought, and she tightly clasped her hands together to prevent any chance of her actually doing so.

Finally, when the clock on the kitchen wall read 12:58, she stood to fetch a shirt for Edward and go to bed...but as she passed his sleeping form, Winry couldn't help but extend her finger tips to touch his skin as she passed. Unfortunately, her already beet-red face grew another shade darker at what she had just done, especially when she heard him move slightly in his sleep. Quickly, she darted to the hall closet and threw open the door, hoping the task of finding one of her father's old shirts would calm her mood to some degree.

God help her if it didn't.

* * *

_Man, I didn't finish this until late. :( Weird how there are no breaks in this one chapter...  
_


	15. Chapter 14

**Brief Commentary:  
**-hums Leva's Polka- Those who haven't heard such a wonderful, God-given song have not yet lived. If you want to see/hear it, go to my DA account where I have so kindly provided the link. -grin- Anyway, I've been extremely fortunate this week - TWO CANS OF MOUNTAIN DEW! -bounces around- Unfortunately it's all gone. D: Anyway, I figured it was about time to get on with the story, so in my spare time I've typed this up. I hope it's not flamed _too_ harshly. -whimpers and creeps off to re-read Eclipse for the billionth time-

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Fourteen_

Although Winry did sleep that night, she was restless and mostly half-awake, as she was vaguely aware of her surroundings even while she slept. For perhaps thirty minutes at most, she would experience the inviting blackness of sleep, only then to find herself staring through filmy eyes at the ceiling, her brain exhausted from all of the racing it had done the day previous. It was roughly 5:00 AM when Winry was awake entirely, just lying there and trying to forget the injured, familiar stranger who was currently occupying the couch in the living room/kitchen. She stared blissfully at the ceiling, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dark as she tried to lose herself in all of the white...until there was a groan from said combination of rooms.

Snapping to attention, Winry quickly slithered out of her bed, ignoring the chill at five in the morning as she crept past her grandmother's room to investigate.She felt her stomach clench as she glimpsed the top of Edward's golden head, and noticed with alarm how much he was moving- no, thrashing around.  
_Delirium, _a small voice in the back of Winry's head informed her.  
Cautiously circling around the couch to take a closer look, she had to quickly duck to avoid a flailing arm. Peering up at him, Winry's lips pulled into a grimace as she took in the expression of fear and rage that contorted the already stony features of his face. For several minutes, the blonde teenager could only stare at him warily and wonder if it would be a good idea to actually wake him up. It was when he began muttering and moaning that Winry had decided enough was enough.

"Edward!" she grasped onto an arm and struggled to hold it still, tugging on it in hopes it would get some sort of reaction out of him. For some one who was supposed to be in something quite similar to a coma, he could certainly apply a lot of subconscious strength to his arms. "Edward! Wake up!"  
She grunted as his arm jerked again, taking her with it as she banged her knee against one of the couch legs.  
"Ow," she bit her lip in frustration, feeling extremely tempted to vigorously rub her sore limb. Ignoring this urge, she tugged at his right arm again, growing impatient as she realized her method of waking him was not as nearly as effective as she had first thought. And he was still moaning, so terribly...

Winry quickly moved her hands to his shoulders, beginning to shake him violently as she hissed,  
"Edward!"  
After perhaps a minute of this, one eye opened lazily, the pupil still clouded from illness. He seemed to notice her presence, at least, for the eye grew slightly wide, which lead to the other eye opening so that he could see more clearly. He opened his mouth, just barely, and let out a hoarse, rasping sound, before closing it again. Winry felt her insides squirm as Edward stared unblinkingly at her for several minutes; some how his hazy, unfocused eyes seemed to bore right into her. After another thirty seconds or so of silence, she repeated his name again.  
"Edward."

This seemed to jolt some sort of reaction out of him, as he blinked hard and struggled to sit up on the couch. There was another long stretch of silence before he attempted to bolt from the blood-stained piece of furniture, but Edward's attempt was completely foiled as he tripped over Winry, who was sitting, frozen, in surprise. He landed with a loud grunt as he hit the floor, and she could hear him grind his teeth together as he tried to stifle a cry of pain. Without seeming to realize who she was, Edward allowed her to assist him back onto the couch. However, as he began to close his eyes, he managed to put two and two together, his body going stiff and wary. Regarding her with nothing but slight anger and a multitude of suspicion, Winry cleared her throat as Edward glared at her.

"Hi...Edward," was all she seemed to be able to manage.  
He glowered stonily at her and remained silent.  
"Uh, I found you lying on the street yesterday," Winry winced at her straightforwardness.  
Edward's glare intensified.  
"You were in really bad shape," her voice grew quieter under his heated gaze as she stared humbly at the floor. "so I brought you to my apartment. We've gotten the bullets out, but we need to make sure you don't get an infection or anything...because one of the bullets was really close to your spine, and spinal damage can lead to paralysis, which is still going untreated because all of your nerves just shut down...and the arm that had the bullet in it is also dislocated, so that needs to be fixed soon so that you can maintain total control over it..."  
Winry felt her cheeks flush as she realized that she was rambling. "Ummm..."  
"You," he hissed through his teeth. She gave a jerk in surprise. "You are Winry Rockbell?"  
His tone was so menacing that she could only manage a single nod of her head before she was too intimidated to move.  
"You're extremely lucky that I can't break your neck at the moment, Rockbell-_san_," Edward addressed her icily, eyes shooting daggers at her shivering person. Had the temperature in the room just dropped? Winry scrambled for an answer as she opened her mouth, but she was interrupted by a sudden voice.  
"Winry, what the hell?"  
She watched with surprise and dread as her grandmother, fully dressed, walked calmly into the room and observed Edward's conscious state and her granddaughter's anxiety. Her stare as her piercingly wise gaze landed on the former seemed to comb over every visible inch of the boy's body, before Pinako said gruffly,  
"At least he's awake. Morning, fucking idiot."  
"What the fuck was that, old hag?!"  
"Just what you thought it was, damn shit-head."  
Edward snarled at her grandmother angrily, looking ready to leap from the couch and strangle her - if he was in any condition to do so. Pinako ignored him and turned to look at Winry, who was still emitting a shiver every few seconds.  
"Winry, did the stupid punk say anything about being hungry?"  
"Um, no, not real-"  
"What the fuuuuck? I eat just fine, dammit!"  
"Shut the hell up," Pinako glared at him, "You're suffering malnutrition, for fuck's sake."  
"W-what should I get him, Baa-chan?" Winry glanced at her grandmother hopefully, eager to end or at least escape the heated conflict in their kitchen/living room.  
"Soup," was all she said in response, before walking stiffly over to Edward. He glared at her.  
"I'm just going to change your goddamn bandages," Pinako rolled her eyes at him. "They're probably dirty again; even worse with you moving around so fucking much."  
"Shut up, old bitch!"

Winry quickly scrambled over to the cupboard, rummaging around until she managed to find a can of tomato soup on the second highest shelf, balancing on her toes as her fingers groped for it. It took several tries before she managed to grab it and set down on the counter, quickly reading the directions on the label.  
As instructed, the young Rockbell pried the lid open after the use of a can-opener and poured the contents into a porcelain bowl, then stepped over to the refrigerator to pull out the milk. Pouring the opaque liquid into the empty soup can, she then added it to the bowl and stirred it a few times. Carefully, she placed it in the small microwave she and Pinako had been provided with and set it for four and a half minutes, chewing her lip as it began to heat the soup.

Four and a half minutes could seem like an incredibly long time, Winry quickly realized, as she tried her best to ignore the argument her grandmother and Edward were currently in engaged in not five feet away. Often the f-bomb would be dropped, followed by another string of curses from either side - the blonde-haired adolescent could practically feel her ears burning away from the profanity. There was a great rush of relief as the microwaved beeped to alert that it was done, and after allowing the tomato soup to sit for a minute, Winry pulled it out with slightly unpracticed hands and set it on the counter to fetch a spoon. Dropping the piece of silverware in and stirring the liquid contents again before she grasped it in her hands, she cautiously padded over to the two shouting figures to present the soup to Edward.

"You're being incredibly immature about this, you fucking little brat!"  
"I thought I told you to shut the hell up - I'm fine, dammit!"  
"I've got the goddamn medical knowledge here, not you!"  
"You wish, fucking hag! I'll kill you!"  
"Uh," Winry quietly intervened, stepping close to the couch, "I have the soup ready."  
"_Shut up!_" Edward snarled, knocking the bowl from her hands. She whimpered as she felt the hot soup soak into her clothes, and heard the porcelain bowl shatter on the wooden floor, pieces of it cutting and burrowing into her skin. There was a long moment of complete silence, before Winry looked down to examine herself, and nearly choked from the pain in the front of her torso. The skin there was obviously, badly burnt, and, in several places, pierced with porcelain shards. An on-coming wave of nausea shook her to her core as she noticed several of the shards sticking out of her stomach and arms, their usually white surface now red with her blood.  
"Fucking idiot!" Pinako screeched at Edward, smacking him with her hand before turning to her granddaughter to keep her steady. Edward only looked incredibly bewildered. "Winry, keep calm, okay? I'm sure it hurts like hell, but let me handle it."  
The young Rockbell nodded, her face pulled taught with her pain and a grimace prominent on her face as her entire body shook.

* * *

_Okay, it's not violent...but it's painful! And the soup label directions are totally true - I have a tomato soup can with me right now for reference. -grin-_


	16. Chapter 15

**Brief Commentary:  
**My computer, a Windows 2000 (old as hell, I know), is currently infected with viruses, and there for is so screwed up that I can't use it at all. Why not get a computer virus protection, you might ask? I can't. The damn computer is too old. As explained on my DA account, don't expect too much out of me until I get a new computer, which, at the rate my family is considering it, could be a millenia or so from now. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to access my mother's laptop (which I am doing now) and update/add new stories, but the process is going to be slow. Sorry. Don't get mad at me. I blame the fucking viruses. Please review or what ever suites your fantasy.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Fifteen_

Neither Edward nor Winry dared to look each other in the eyes as Pinako bustled around in a distressed manner for the correct medical supplies; both were quite afraid of what they might see there. After what seemed like hours, but had really been only seconds, Pinako asked Winry to lie down on the floor so that her work might be easier to do. With extreme pain and difficulty, Winry did so. Her eyes widened in surprise as her grandmother began to roll up her shirt, exposing her bloody, shard-speared stomach.  
"Baa-chan," she whispered through gritted teeth, "He's_ right over there._"  
"If he looks, I'll shoot him," Pinako assured her darkly, managing to get her arms out of the sleeves and pull it over her head. Winry sucked in a breath and dared a glance over at Edward, who, she realized with relief, had stubbornly turned his head away from her and the bloody mess that was her upper body. ...she blinked; was she imagining a blush on his cheeks?  
A sudden pull at her nerves shattered the thought as Winry cried out in the pain accompanying the removal of a shard. Another wave of nausea nearly overtook her, but she managed to force it down as Pinako held up a piece of the bloody porcelain that was a few centimeters longer than her middle finger and as nearly as wide at its base as the palm of her hand. Had that really been in her stomach? Discarding it onto the floor, her grandmother continued her work, mercilessly pulling out piece after piece after piece...she grimaced at the pile of porcelain building up at her side, and nearly jumped at Pinako's warning growl. Glancing up, she thought she glimpsed Edward suddenly turn his head, face crimson. She blushed as well. Had he been looking?

The thought, again, was lost as Pinako pulled a few more pieces of the bowl out, before declaring her granddaughter fine, and that she would just need some bandaging.  
"Two beat up teenagers in one apartment," she thought she heard her grandmother mutter, but dismissed it quickly as she was roughly pulled into a sitting position. To conserve her dignity, Winry shuffled into a position where her back was to Edward. Pinako smiled approvingly at her before reaching for the bandages.

"How do you feel?" she asked after she had finished.  
"Like a mummy," Winry answered honestly. It was true. Her stomach and two arms were almost completely covered in gauze, only stopping at her chest and shoulders. Her face was contorted with discomfort and exhaustion; she felt almost certain that her eyes were rimmed with dark circles. Pinako allowed herself a chuckle, but tried again.  
"No, seriously; does it hurt at all?"  
"Yeah," she said, quickly amending with, "But that's okay."  
Her grandmother rolled her eyes.  
"Get a painkiller if it gets worse. Anyway, since we had no luck with the soup, I suppose we'll be trying something else for breakfast."  
Putting the slightest emphasis possible on the word 'soup,' she glared pointedly at Edward, who still had his head turned away. He didn't seem to notice, only shrugging indifferently.  
"And Winry, go put a new shirt on," she added as she wandered over to the tiny refrigerator.  
She felt her face burn crimson as she remembered that, despite the excessive bandages and the simple white bra covering her upper-torso, she could very well be considered half-naked.  
"R-right. Um, okay."

Winry quickly retreated to her room, closing and looking the door behind her before slumping onto the floor, her mind racing, her body exhausted, her muscles spasming from pain, and her cheeks red. She stayed like that until she was certain her blush had disappeared, before she shuffled over to her dresser and opened a drawer containing rumpled, unfolded t-shirts. Selecting a several-times-too-large gray one, she awkwardly pulled it over her head and slipped her arms into the sleeves, wincing as she did so.

Hastily brushing her long, straw-colored hair - _What a boring color_, she thought to herself - it was pulled into a careless pony tail at the nape of her neck at the expense of her pained arms. Her ears were able to make out the sound of another argument between her grandmother and Edward, and, suddenly nervous, she unlocked and opened her door before making her way back out into the kitchen/family room.

The argument could have been much more serious.

"I thought I just said that I _hate_ milk, damn it!"  
"Shut your mouth - you need milk for this kind of thing!"  
"No, you don't - water is just as fine, you old bat!"  
"With water it tastes like shit, you miserable little bastard!"  
"What the hell was that?!"  
"You know what, I don't give a fuck any more! There's going to be milk in this!"  
"_What the fuuuuck?!_"  
Ignoring him, Pinako glanced up at her granddaughter as she approached them, nodding her head and offering Winry a half-smile.  
"You put your hair up," she noted. "Arms hurt?"  
"A little," the younger Rockbell admitted. It was actually a fairly severe understatement.  
"Need a painkiller after all?" Said understatement had been realized and hit on the head with a hammer.  
She shook her head. Her grandmother grinned.  
"You're a regular, strong young Rockbell woman, Winry."  
Winry smiled in response - this was always an uncommon compliment. Suddenly curious, she asked,  
"What's for breakfast?"  
"Pancakes."  
She blinked.  
"Pancakes..."  
"Yes, pancakes," her grandmother said, a tinge of impatience coloring her voice.  
"But...pancakes?"  
"Winry, for God's sake, is it so hard to imagine me making pancakes in the morning? I've done it plenty of times before."  
The blonde teenager chose to glance purposefully over at the sulking Elric help explain herself. "You said soup before. So I was thinking it would be something more...um...not solid?"  
Pinako chuckled.  
"That was just to piss him off," she jerked a thumb at Edward. "It's a little-known fact that soup tastes awful in the morning."  
She gave her grandmother an odd look before awkwardly padding over to the chair she usually sat in at the small table. Placing her arms unsteadily onto the wooden surface, she lowered herself into a sitting position and crossed her legs in a 'boyish' manner as she waited.

The pancakes were ready within the next few minutes, and it was with surprise that Winry realized how ravenous she actually felt. Reaching for the stick of butter on its plate, she quickly used her knife to cut a clumsy chunk out to smother her pancakes with before they were soaked, customarily, in syrup. After that, she had little memory of how quickly she actually ate, but her bites were anything but dainty or neat. From the slightly disgusting sounds emitting from the general direction couch, she was able to assume that this applied to Edward as well., as much as he apparently disliked the addition of milk to any meal. Pinako only watched them both in amusement.  
"Seconds, Baa-chan?" Winry offered her her empty, syrupy plate.  
"That's all I made, Winry. Sorry. Up for a bagel?"  
She made a face and shook her head.  
"No thanks."  
There was a snort of agreement from the golden-haired boy lying on their couch, and he shifted so that his back was to them.  
"Anyway, Winry, I have to go to the convenience store to pick up more supplies - the both of you have too many wounds as it is and we're pretty low on our gauze. You two will remain here and be _civilized_, understood? And Winry, if he does something stupid, you have my permission to worsen his condition; also, please clean the bandages again afterwards."  
This time Edward emitted a barely audible growl, Winry only staring at her grandmother in surprise.  
"Um, okay..." she glanced uncertainly at him, nearly jumping as their eyes met, and looked sharply back to Pinako. "I'll do that, then."  
"And if he does something he shouldn't be doing, then you have my permission to kill him," the plain tone in the older Rockbell's tone made it obvious that she was open the the chance that Edward might commit some perverted action towards her granddaughter. Both teenagers blushed furiously, Edward grumbling in a projected manner,  
"Why the hell would I do something like that anyway? You have a disgusting mind, midget hag."  
"I'm fairly certain yours is worse," Pinako retorted. She smirked when she noticed his lack of response. Winry only sat slumped in her chair, fingers clenching at the edge of the wood seat.  
"Again, Winry, you _can_ kill him if he does something stupid."  
"R-right, Baa-chan," she said quickly. "Uh, why don't you go ahead now?"  
"Fine, fine, if you want me out of here so badly," her grandmother gave her a knowing grin.  
"Baa-chan, it's not like tha-" she was interrupted by the sound of the front door slamming. With a sigh, she slid quietly out of the chair, taking her syrupy plate with her towards the sink to wash it; Winry made a quick detour to fetch Edward's plate, which he had left on the floor. He merely glared at her as she passed, and she did her best to ignore it.

She had just finished scrubbing the second dish when he called her over, his tone miffed and impatient. Shutting the running water off and placing the still wet plate into the sink, Winry complied and walked silently over to him, prepared for a complaint about more bleeding or a loose bandage. Instead, Edward surprised her with a haughty glare and a sulky,  
"We need to talk, Rockbell-_san_."

* * *

_Hope to update at least twice more during this lovely Spring Break, if I can get my hands on my mother's laptop again...let's just hope and pray. -sigh- I'm going to sleep now. It's 2:42 AM. Good night. Morning. Whatever. I'm too tired to remember._


	17. Chapter 16

**Brief Commentary:  
**-hums Hero/Heroin- I recently got attached to that song...it's almost as sweet as "Hey There Delilah" in my opinion. It's interesting because generally I dislike bands like Boys Like Girls. -grin- be listening to to it through out the chapter just to keep me going...lol. -head bangs- Anyway, for those of you who were curious about what Ed wanted to talk about...sorry to say, but it _isn't_ anything "dirty." You know who you are. -points finger and grins again- I'm sure he hooks up with skanks in the club _every_ Saturday night. :) He's quite popular. For those of you who don't get it, just pretend not to notice that and read on...reviewing later would be great too, but hey, I'm just a freak, sitting here with a bemused smile on my face, wondering why my nose is green. (Those darn leprechauns...this had better be washable marker.)

_I feel like a hero,  
and you are my heroin.  
Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?_ (uh, this has nothing to do with the actual story...)

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Sixteen_

Winry attempted to shy away from the fierce glare Edward was giving her as she sat down, not wanting to meet his eyes. Making herself as comfortable as possible on a cold, tiled floor, she gazed instead at her hands, folded in her lap. After a few moments of silence, Winry asked quietly,  
"What do you want to talk about?"  
"How the hell I got here."  
"I told you, I found you on the street and-"  
"That's not what I meant," he interrupted her sharply. "What I meant was why you actually brought me here."  
"Uh, well, you were really badly hurt and I didn't want you to die, so, um-"  
Edward raised his voice angrily,  
"_Why? Why_ didn't you want me to die? Maybe I _wanted_ to die. Did you ever consider that?"  
Winry stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open slightly. Her face was etched with surprise and slight hurt.  
"You...you wanted to die?"  
"With the life I lead? Sure," he snarled. "So why the hell did you bring me here!"  
"I...I didn't know," she choked out, "I just didn't...didn't want you to die."  
Edward glared furiously at her, Winry flinching and dropping her eyes back to her lap as his gaze burned holes into her skull.  
"You would be dead if I could move right now," he told her, his voice dark and venomous.  
She nodded - she understood. Nothing more was said until Winry excused herself to go back to her room. He answered her with some kind of a grunt as she stood to leave the room, his eyes closed and a scowl on his face as Winry began to walk away.

When she had closed her bedroom door behind her and locked it, Winry slumped to the floor for the second time that day, drawing her knees up to hug her legs closer to her face, suppressing small chokes of sadness and even fear. It was true; as much as she hated to admit it...but Edward terrified her easily. His face was so contorted with hatred and anger...maybe it was because she kept imagining him to be like Alphonse, and having him prove her so terribly wrong...

Winry clenched her fists and bit her lip, burrowing her face further into her knees. A stray tear slipped down her cheek, and angrily she brushed it away with her wrist. She refused to cry; not over _him_, the heartless bastard. Her stomach dropped as she remembered that until his wounds were fully healed, said bastard would be living with her and her grandmother. Suddenly exhausted by the thought, Winry got back onto her feet to wander over to her bed, climbing on top of it and burying her face in her pillow. Because of her lack of sleep the night before, it didn't take long for her to drift off, blonde hair spilling around her face in a messy fashion as her breaths grew longer.

_She managed to draw a quick breath, her eyes wide with terror as she raced through the back alleys, clothes in tatters and hair in a tangled mess as it kept whipping into her eyes. She flinched as bullets whistled past her head, their squeal loud and deadly in her ears as the sound of their fire rang out in the background. She knew who wanted her dead - she hadn't seen who nor did she know who it was exactly, but all the same she knew._

_As she ran, she tripped over something soft and cold, landing painfully on the ground without having the opportunity to fling her arms out to support herself. Glancing fearfully at the figure behind her, she froze when she recognized who it was._

_It was herself...dead and broken, with her mouth open in what had been the last of her cries. She screamed in response to her dead self, and her volume only increased when she realized he had caught up to her, a gun pointed at her skull._

_"No," she moaned, even as she kept screaming, "No, please...I don't...I don't want this...please...oh god..."_

_He paid her no heed, pulling the trigger back with his index finger as he prepared to fire._

_"I don't want..."_

_BANG._

Winry suddenly found herself awake, her body drenched in sweat and her chest heaving. Some how she had turned onto her back, and now she could only stare at the ceiling in bewilderment as the fear wracking her nerves began to subside. Bang. Something had gone 'bang' in her dream (or had it been a nightmare?)...What ever it was, it had jerked her awake and out of her sleep. With a wary glance at her alarm clock, she nearly jumped when she saw that it read 2:38 PM. How long had she been asleep?

"Shit," she murmured, rubbing her eyes and climbing off of her bed to walk briskly out of her room. Edward was bound to irritable since he hadn't eaten yet...her pace slowed as she remembered the conversation they had had earlier that day. Sucking in a breath, Winry straightened her posture and walked more stiffly out into the kitchen/family room, pointedly ignoring anything in the direction of the couch, where Edward was still sulking, she was sure.

Winry was slightly surprised to find her grandmother in the kitchen, working on their lunches already, but shrugged it off as she went to sit down at the table again. Whatever was being prepared, it smelled suspiciously like it contained bread, roast beef, provolone cheese, and tomatoes. Pinako acknowledged her presence with a nod of her head.  
"You must've been pretty tired - you were out for seven hours or so."  
"R-really?"  
She nodded.  
"You kept muttering something - I couldn't hear properly. You have a dream?"  
"I think so; can't remember anything," she admitted.  
"Ah," was all Pinako said. After a few minutes of the quiet chopping of her knife, she announced, "Well, food's ready." 

Lunch, consisting of roast beef sandwiches, was eaten in silence, the only audible sound being Edward's frantic chewing - her grandmother had been correct in saying that he was suffering malnutrition. Winry stared at him for a few minutes in awe, as the rather large sandwich that had been prepared for him was going down his throat in rather large bites. Within the first 60 seconds, half of it was gone, already in his stomach.  
"Winry," Pinako, noticing her staring, gently reprimanded her, "it's not polite to watch people when they're eating...no matter how disgusting they may be eating it."  
It earned the elderly woman a glare from the golden-haired teenager, which she ignored as she took another bite for herself. Her appetite having been lost on account of Edward's hasty scarfing, Winry asked to be excused to her room for a second time. As if suddenly remembering something, her grandmother said,  
"School would've let out half an hour ago - you going to call someone for your assignments?"  
"Oh...yeah," she blinked, and glanced over at the phone. "I guess I should."

Padding across the tiled floor, her hand reached for said electrical appliance, when at that moment, a polite knock sounded on the apartment door, quickly drawing her attention to the foyer. With a helpless shrug, Winry shuffled towards it, twisting the knob and pulling the door open to reveal the cheerful yet slightly concerned face of Alphonse. Her heart skipped more beats than was healthy, and she felt her stomach twist in dread. Wanting nothing more to allow the wooden floor to swallow her, Winry forced a grin and said,  
"Um, hi Alphonse. What's up?"  
"I have the homework and books you need for tomorrow," he informed her happily, although his eyes expressed his worry. "You were reported absent because of sickness - are you okay?"  
Inwardly groaning at her grandmother's excuse, she nodded quickly and said,  
"Yeah, but I'm fine now - anyway, um, can I have the assignments now? Baa-chan and I have to go some where really soon and we're kind of in a hurry, so could you, uh..."  
She felt her face burn red at her rushing, but Alphonse seemed un-phased by her strange behavior; he merely smiled kindly and said,  
"Of course, Winry."  
Giving her a small pile of papers and books (oddly, there hadn't been a large homework load that day), he turned to leave before he stopped short, his gaze set just over Winry's shoulder. His posture was frozen; the only thing that had changed was the disappearance of his smile. After several long seconds, he opened his mouth to speak.  
"Winry."  
She flinched at his icy tone, almost afraid to look him in the eyes. However, she did, and nearly toppled backwards from the strongest emotion etched onto his face; hatred. Alphonse's jaw was clenched tightly, his eyes narrowed and cold as they glittered with his anger. He radiated coldness, looking as lethal as Scar as he stood there, frozen in the doorway. His gentle hands were now in fists, as he glared at what ever was behind her. Winry had a pretty good idea of what it was.  
"Y-yes, Al?" she managed, her voice barely a squeak.  
"May I ask," he said curtly. "why my dearest _Nii-san_ is lying on your couch, in your apartment?"  
_Oh...fuck, _was all Winry could manage out of her brain.

* * *

_Bwa ha ha ha ha...review or die (jk!). XD Some how 'Hero/Heroin' got changed to 'Speed Over Beethoven.' Don't ask how. Youtube is crazy like that. -creepy smile- Oh, speaking of reviews, I never got to thank you all for over 50 of those magical things. THANKS. :D -hums-  
_

_Into the night, you'll make me cry  
I need your love, to save my life  
I need you while my piano gently weeps  
Listen to Beethoven_


	18. Chapter 17

**Brief Commentary:  
**I'm sorry, I've lied to some of you when I said there would be little to no violence in this chapter...and I'm very sorry...(HA HA, SUCKERS!)...um...really. :) Honest. I've been surrounded by kittens all day - I'm a little...-giggle-...uhm...ha ha...-gigglesnort- KITTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENS. -gigglesnort- So, uhm, if...hee hee...this chapter is kind of -cracks up- weird...then...hee...you know why! -giggle- LOL, it's chapter SEVENTEEN, BEECHES! -head bangs to 'A Devil in a Midnight Mass'-_  
_

_Mother Nature, Sister fear,  
A place called Hell is close to here,  
Put my trust in God that day,  
Not the man that taught His way_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Seventeen_

Not waiting for an answer, the younger Elric strode into the apartment, brushing rudely past Winry as he made his way towards his older brother. Edward, already having noticed his "dearest" silbling's presence, tensed visibly on the bloody couch as fierce glares between the two were exchanged wordlessly.  
"Why, hello, _Nii-san_," Alphonse hissed. "What a pleasure to see you again."  
"Al," was all Edward snarled in return.  
Pinako stared at them blankly from across the room, eyes automatically shifting to Winry, who stood, still frozen, in the foyer.  
"Winry, can you please explain to me what the fuck is going on?"  
She gave her grandmother a startled look, before she glanced back at Edward and Alphonse - she felt a wave of panic almost immediately.  
"Um, I have to tell you later!" she threw the elderly Rockbell woman a pleading look - Pinako merely responded with an angry grunt. "They had better not get blood on the tiles."  
Winry ignored her comment as she ran forward, tumbling into Alphonse's path and throwing her arms out, as if hoping that she would actually keep them separated. Sweat coated her body from her increasing level of anxiety, and she visibly flinched as Alphonse whispered,  
"Winry, please move."  
She vigorously shook her head, legs shaking from the promise of pain in his voice...hopefully for Edward, and not herself.  
"What the fuck are you doing, Rockbell-_san?_" Edward growled in her ear, shifting behind her so that his feet were on the tiled floor; he would easily be able to stand up and throw her aside.  
"D-don't fight," was all Winry could say, her voice wavering in doubt as she felt their glares burrowing deep into her flesh.  
"Why the hell not?" Edward again.  
"Y-you're badly hurt, a-and-"  
"Who gives a shit? Just because I've got a couple _scratches_," here his voice grew mocking, "doesn't mean I can't kick this damn brat's ass."  
"But your left ar-"  
"Yes, please, try to this time," Alphonse interrupted her coolly, his eyes as sharp and deadly as splinters of ice as he stared unblinkingly at his older sibling.  
"Shut the fuck up!" Winry was carelessly shoved aside, landing painfully on her left arm as she struck the tiled floor. Wincing, she attempted to regain her footing, only to be stepped over and therefore knocked back down as Edward approached his younger brother. Winry bit her lip to suppress a wail of pain as she crawled out of their line of conflict. Her eyes seemed sunken with hopelessness as she began to realize that this could not be stopped or even postponed. The young Rockbell escaped to the side of her room, opposite her grandmother, who was glaring at her as if hoping to burn her to cinders. She shuddered and watched on, gravely, as it began.

"Let's make a deal," Alphonse's lip curled up a cold smirk, "If I put some actual effort into this, then you will actually make this worth my time."  
Edward spat,  
"Shut your mouth, pretty boy. You're probably just concerned about breaking one of your perfect nails."  
"You're still spouting such immature nonsense? And I'd thought you might have grown up some from the last time I defeated you," his voice matched the sneer that was now on his face. "I see I was wrong. Perhaps I should beat some more sense into your worthless self?"

He snarled and lunged at Alphonse, attempting to land a kick in his brother's gut. Expertly blocking it, he in turn let a fist fly, nearly catching Edward in the cheek - he managed to avoid it at the last second and attempted a reach with his other leg, grinning triumphantly when it struck his younger brother's hip. Alphonse barely staggered as he whipped around, smirking when his other fist caught Edward just below his rib cage, effectively knocking the air out of him. Coughing out a few spare droplets of blood, he wiped at his lips with the back of his right hand, disregarding his limp left arm as he launched another kick (which missed by a centimeter), followed by a punch as he managed to catch Alphonse unawares - his younger brother had evidently not been expecting him to try anything with his arm. He backed up slightly, gently touching at the swell in his jaw (where the punch had landed). Alphonse hissed,  
"That hurt, _Nii-san._ Perhaps we are actually getting serious here, even in your pathetic state?"  
"That had better hurt," it was Edward's turn to smirk, "pretty boy."

This seemed to stimulate a response out of him, as he suddenly charged forward, expertly driving two fingers into the spot just below his older brother's gut, knocking successfully knocking him over. With a grunt, he regained his footing and glared at him, before swiping at him with another kick, just barely catching his shin. Alphonse snarled and dove forward, Edward avoiding a kick sent his way before he realized that his younger brother now had a hold on his useless left arm and a death-grip on his right wrist.  
"FUCK!" he screamed, his voice expressing his agony as Alphonse tore mercilessly at it. Winry's mouth opened in a silent shriek of disbelief, managing to choke out a pathetic, hoarse,  
"Don't!"

She was ignored as he continued his work, as if intending to tear Edward's arm off completely. The elder Elric was not at loss, however, as he managed to slither out of his brother's grip and land another kick at his gut, this time actually landing his mark. He stumbled backwards before regaining his balance (with the assistance of the wall), blood beginning to dribble down his lip from the slight damage done to his internal organs. Spying the immense amount of bandaging done on Edward's back (ridiculously near his spine), he lunged at him with two fingers at the ready once again, digging them deep into his brother's flesh and grinning when he found the bullet hole. Edward almost immediately fell limp, his breathing hoarse as he struggled away from Alphonse.  
"What's this, dear Nii-san? Another gun war? I certainly hope you didn't involve any innocent bystanders," Alphonse mocked him, glancing pointedly at Winry's trembling figure. His older brother whipped around to glare at him, clearly tired from his panting and the sweat coating his skin.  
"On the contrary," he glowered, "I was protecting _her_, from _Scar_, no less."  
"I hope, with your poor aim, that you landed a shot - assuming you even had a gun with you," he sneered.  
"I always have a gun with me, _otoutou-san_," Edward replied heatedly. "I even got him on his arm, the damn fucker."  
Alphonse pretended to look happy for him.  
"Oh,_ good for you_, Nii-san - too bad he didn't manage to kill you...although it's quite entertaining to see you having been taken pity on and bandaged up by local innocents."  
"Shut your trap, dammit!"  
"Then shall we continue this until you finally surrender?"  
"It'll be the other way around, you damn brat!"

Edward launched another kick at Alphonse, who calmly side-stepped the attack and spun around to drive his fingers into his sibling's back for a second time. Cursing loudly, he aimed a punch at his gut and smirked as it caught Alphonse in the side. His victory was short-lived, however, as soon as his younger brother counter-attacked with a punch of his own.  
"Fuck," Edward hacked out another spattering of blood as he was knocked backwards, landing haphazardly on the couch. He glared at Alphonse as he took a few steps forward, a hand brushing the dirty-gold hair back from his forehead. With a sigh, he returned the glare and said tiredly,  
"Aren't you ever going to die? This is beginning to bore me."  
"Damn...fucker," Edward panted, lifting himself up sluggishly from the couch.

Winry remained pressed against the wall, eyes swollen red with tears that would not fall and trembling hands that clutched at nothing. Her stomach churned with every attack the brothers made, wincing as one was hit or knocked down.  
_God,_ she pleaded silently. _Please make them stop...please do something...  
_  
God was not listening.

Edward managed to block an on-coming right-hook from Alphonse, barring the way to his gut with his right forearm, snarling in frustration as he realized that he had no opportunity to return the punch. Instead, he was forced to kick at him, at least in an attempt to back him away. Alphonse smirked coldly at his helplessness.  
"You're so weak in this state, Nii-san. Perhaps this will give me an opportunity to shut your annoying mouth once and for all."  
Winry found herself praying harder at these words, not that they had any hope of being answered. Edward hissed in return,  
"Bastard...I'll kick your ass."  
"Then do it," his younger brother's tone was mocking, his eyes glittering with sadistic amusement.  
"Watch me!" the older Elric roared, launching up from the couch and socking his brother in the jaw, where the last punch had landed. Alphonse fell backwards, ungracefully, onto the floor, his skull making a sickening thunking sound as it met the cold tiles. Edward stood, panting and with a triumphant smirk dancing across his face, until a violent yank at his left leg brought him down onto the floor to join his brother. Miraculously remaining conscious, the younger Elric stood again, pressing a foot sharply into Edward's back until, eventually, he stopped moving.

With a glance at Winry, whose terror was blatantly obvious, he assured her gently,  
"He's not dead. Just knocked out. My brother is a worthless moron, who would be better off rotting in hell, but I appreciate your extended pity."  
Stepping over his older brother's body, he made his way over the the trembling Rockbell and placed a reassuring hand on her head, smiling as he did so past the blood staining his lip.  
"You're forgiven."

Pinako chose this time to speak up from her side of the room.  
"If you two are quite done making a mess of our apartment and beating the shit out of one another, would you mind some bandaging on your way out? We don't want the neighbors talking; with their imaginations, they'll be thinking we've been holding mafia meetings here."  
Alphonse chuckled.  
"Certainly, thank you."  
The elderly Rockbell nodded at her granddaughter.  
"Winry, get him back onto the couch and get ice for his back," here she glared disapprovingly at Alphonse, "I understand you wanting to punish him for his stupidity, but next time, please don't aim for infected bullet wounds that need to be healed."  
Alphonse nodded sheepishly as he strode over to her.  
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that it was quite this bad."

Confused by this complete one-eighty in Alphonse's behavior, Winry cautiously did as asked, hoisting Edward up and dragging his limp form onto the couch, hurrying towards the tiny refrigerator to fetch ice. Anything to keep the violence at bay.

* * *

_I actually got really sore and tired while typing out the battle. -stares in amazement- That's actually the first time I've ever done something like that. Hope to God it's not too bad/disappointing. _


	19. Chapter 18

**Brief Commentary:**  
I figured I should get started on the next chapter because I have nothing better to do in the mean time (besides homework, but who cares?). I just realized...I'm really close to like...twenty chapters...-shot- Surprisingly, I don't have much to say beforehand...so, here you go. :)

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Eighteen_

Pinako had quickly applied a few bandages and ointment to his external wounds and mopped the blood from his lip and chin, before she announced him fit enough to leave.  
"I don't have enough experience to deal with the organs he," here she jerked a thumb at Edward, "fucked up. If you start hacking up blood or collapsing on floors, I'd recommend seeing a doctor."  
Alphonse nodded, although his eyes showed his slight confusion,  
"However, wouldn't a hospital be more efficient?"  
"No," her grandmother snapped. He appeared taken aback, but nodded again anyway, before stepping lightly over to Winry, who was adjusting the ice under Edward's back. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he murmured,  
"Thank you for your hospitality, Winry. And thank you for taking care of my ignorant older sibling."  
She nodded, biting her lip as she finally managed to place the ice under the bullet wound. Noting the bandages running up and down her arms and around her stomach (thanks to her shirt riding up), Alphonse's tone became sharper.  
"What are these bandages for? Did he hurt you?"  
He glared at her, expecting an answer. Winry froze up, suddenly alarmed. Slowly turning her head to look him in the eye, she said as calmly as possible,  
"I was, uh, making soup. I accidentally dropped the bowl onto the floor and it broke...and some shards were stuck in my arms and stomach. Baa-chan got them out and dressed the wounds, so I'm okay."  
Alphonse glanced at her disbelievingly, but did not press the subject. Straightening his shoulders, he instead gave her a small smile and nodded towards her grandmother.  
"Thank you again for your hospitality. I'll see you at school tomorrow, Winry?"  
"Y...yeah," suddenly remembering her grandmother's excuse for her absence, she added quickly, "I got a lot better."  
There was no need for him to know that she had stayed home out of concern for his older brother.  
"Great," he smiled again, waving as he started back to the door, letting himself out into the afternoon sun and closing the door behind him.

"Well, that certainly was interesting," Pinako remarked, looking Winry in the eye. "Care to explain why they suddenly started fighting in the center of the room?"  
Winry's anxiety returned as her grandmother glared at her expectantly.  
"It's kind of a long story..."  
"We've got time."  
"But my home-"  
"You don't have much; I trust you can get it done quickly."  
"...but, Baa-chan-"  
"_Winry_."_  
_Sighing in defeat, Winry slumped onto the floor, staring helplessly at the cold gray tiles around her feet as she slowly began to explain what she knew; the Elrics' unusual history, the spite held for Edward, the hatred Alphonse had for him, and, after much hesitation, the events that had unraveled surrounding Scar. Pinako listened in grave silence, her lips drawing into a thin line as she requested for more details about the latter of the three. With a shuddering breath, Winry quietly elaborated.  
"He was firing a lot of rounds...Edward had pushed me to the ground and...kept me from screaming," with a blush, she added in a mutter, "He was basically on lying on top of me."  
Her grandmother raised her eyebrows, but motioned for her to continue.  
"I think the bullet in his arm was from the first shot Scar made; he - Edward - ran out in front of me, then pushed me down. Um...the second one was from another shot, later...then he stood up and had a hand covering my mouth still, and pulled a hand gun out of his pocket. He fired at Scar too, until they both ran out of bullets - I think he got Scar in the shoulder."  
"Did you see what he looked like?" Pinako's tone was extremely serious.  
"Uh..." Winry wracked her brain for a clear memory. "Dark skin...uh...white hair...he wasn't old, though...his clothes were actually kind of nice-looking. Not, uh, dirty and torn...um..."  
"Anything else?" she pressed.  
"He had a...an X-shaped scar on his...forehead...I think. I can't remember too clearly...but yeah, he definitely had an X-shaped scar."  
Her grandmother let out a sigh.  
"I see... Winry."  
She glanced up at her.  
"I don't say this often, because I don't want to sound like a doting mother, but _please,_ for Christ's sake...be _careful._ I understand you did nothing to provoke this, but try to avoid going too near alleyways alone, and try especially hard not to get caught out after dark. I want to suggest moving...but at the moment we aren't in the position to be able to do that...with our little amount of money..."  
"It's okay, Baa-chan," Winry assured her quickly. "I'll be very careful, I promise. I don't like being mixed up in this, either."  
There were a few moments of silence before she spoke up again.  
"Do you think we should pop his left arm back in place? I don't exactly want to encourage him fighting, but he was having a lot of trouble when he was going up against Al."  
Pinako nodded,  
"Help me out?"  
The process only took a few seconds, her grandmother commenting that it would have been a lot more entertaining if he had been conscious at the time. Winry only smiled and shook her head as she stepped into her bedroom to get started on the day's homework, which she had snatched off of the kitchen table to bring in with her. 

* * *

The next morning came surprisingly fast, Winry sluggishly preparing for the school day as she managed to climb out of bed and dress herself in her now wrinkled school uniform. Her hair was only brushed for a brief few seconds before she pulled on her socks and left her bedroom, not surprised to find Pinako already preparing breakfast at the stove.  
"Up for french toast, Winry?"  
"Sure," she replied tiredly, slumping into her usual seat at the table. She nearly jolted as a strained, equally exhausted voice complained,  
"You two get up way too fucking early in the morning."  
"Not my fault that I actually go to _school_," Winry retorted. Her mood was already slightly irritable; Edward, if he kept it up, would be doing a good job of making it worse. He mumbled something incoherent before turning over on the couch, letting another complaint slip out,  
"Are you _ever_ going to clean this couch? There's so much dried blood on it that looks like some one committed a murder on it, for fuck's sake."  
"That happens to be _your_ blood, dumb ass," she snapped at him. "And if it bothers you so much, then clean it yourself."  
Edward glared at her and opened his mouth to give a smart reply before Pinako interrupted them with a disapproving grunt.  
"If you would please stop trying to get down each others' throats so early in the morning, Winry, your french toast is ready."  
"Thanks," she muttered, as the plate was set down in front of her. Her grandmother knew her well enough to butter the slices and add only maple syrup and powdered sugar; she had even gone so far as to put one half of a strawberry on each one. Surprising; they were an out-of-season fruit. Glancing up at Pinako, she was answered with a proud grin as she replied to the silent question,  
"A good friend - lives in an old town a little ways away from here. Grows strawberries year round."  
"Oh...um, thanks."

The french toast had been eaten relatively quickly, Winry eager to leave in order to avoid being late. Edward had grunted while her grandmother had said good bye, the blonde-haired teenager scampering down the stairs leading from their apartment door to the storage garage provided near by. Pulling the heavy, fire-proof door open, she stepped inside to fetch her bike, which was sitting off in a corner near another door. Unchaining it from the wall-rack and kicking the stand up, the young Rockbell slung her book bag over her shoulder, and wheeled the bicycle outside with little difficulty (she had mastered the technique of opening the heavy doors with merely her shoulder).

The ride to school was also brief; another shocker. There was not much traffic to stall her along the roads, and there weren't as nearly as many driving maniacs out and about that morning. Well, it _was_ early in the morning, she remembered absent-mindedly as she waited for a red light to turn green. A minute or so passed before it allowed her to move forward, now only a few blocks away from the school. Now that she was so near it, Winry suddenly felt nervous. Would Alphonse be treating her any differently? Was he still angry with her for caring for Edward? He had said "You're forgiven," but all the same.  
Her stomach flipped in anxious anticipation as the high school pulled into view. Quickly pedaling onto the sidewalk, she expertly avoided the shuffling bodies of fellow students as she headed in the direction of the bike rack. A sudden stop made by pulling on the handle bar breaks too swiftly nearly resulted in her toppling forward, but Winry managed to catch herself before focusing on the task of climbing off of the bicycle to chain it. 

She let out an anxious sigh as she strode up to her locker, Alphonse already there at his own, as usual. She couldn't help but grin back when he greeted her with a pleasant smile; she knew that she really had been forgiven. Although, Winry wasn't certain _why_ she needed to be forgiven, but it was of great relief to know, all the same.  
"Ready for first period?" he said cheerfully.  
"No," she groaned, her forehead pressed against her locker as she focused on entering her combination. Winry was surprised to find that the Alphonse Fan Girls hadn't vandalized it already. Perhaps they had found something better to do, or some one else to pick on. Swinging the metal door open, she quickly emptied her book back and pulled out the binder and couple of books she would need for her first class. Another day with Mustang-sensei...she certainly hadn't missed him.  
Seeing that she was prepared, Alphonse nodded cheerfully and began to walk, Winry smiling again as she saw that this was an invitation to walk with him. From his attitude, though...it was as if the afternoon previous had never even occurred to him...either that or he forgave most people easily (Edward obviously being an exception). They walked through the door to Mustang-sensei's room, pealing off in the separate directions of their desks and sitting down quietly.

It wasn't necessary to wait long before the first bell of the day rang, signaling the start of the school day. Mustang-sensei strode purposely to the front of the room, clearing his throat to get his students' attention.  
"Today, we are receiving an exchange student."  
There was a collective muttering in the classroom. He called for silence again before he continued.  
"Please welcome our new student, Mei Chan."

Winry blinked as a girl of small stature walked quietly to the front of the room, her long black hair in two separate buns on the sides of her skull, the remainder of it falling in thin braids down to her hip. A smile was present on the girl's face, her cheeks round and pleasant to look at, as was the rest of her face. She looked not a day older than thirteen or fourteen...although that probably only had to do with this 'Mei Chan' not yet receiving her growth spurt - it was probably due soon.  
_Long over due,_ Winry thought to herself as the girl spoke in a pleasantly child-like voice,  
"Good morning, everyone."  
She turned and bowed to Mustang-sensei and Hawkeye-sensei, a smile still remaining on her face. She then scanned the room quickly for a spare seat, spotting an empty desk not far from where Alphonse sat. The Alphonse Fan Girls bristled at this new comer's offense; from their faces, Winry felt suddenly sorry for the unfortunate Mei Chan. She was going to have to learn the hard way the hardships that came with being near Alphonse. However, she was taken by surprise as the exchanged student turned immediately towards Alphonse and greeted him cheerfully,  
"Hello."  
He smiled back at her.  
"Hello."  
_She's in for it,_ Winry groaned inwardly.

* * *

_I hope you don't think that Mei Chan's presence is insignificant...because it really isn't. I can't say why, though. :(_


	20. Chapter 19

**Brief Commentary:**  
Another day, another chapter. :) Again, I don't really have much to say, besides the fact that the next chapter will be CHAPTER TWENTY! Whoop! -hums Tokyo Drift- Anyway, here's chapter nineteen for you.  
_I wonder if you know  
How they live in Tokyo_  
_If you seen it then you mean it  
Then you know you have to go.  
_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Nineteen_

Perhaps it was the excitement stirred by the arrival of an exchange student, but the first few classes seemed to pass quickly before it was time for her and Paninya's lunch period. Winry was surprised to find her friend in an increasingly bad mood (although she had seemed better about her father's death), sending reproaching glares over her shoulder at some one she found herself unable to see. Shrugging it off and honestly hoping it was merely 'that time of month,' she couldn't help but notice the prickly silence ensuing from Paninya's usually bright and optimistic presence.

As the weather was warm enough for the two to eat outside, they sat quietly on the grass and began to eat. Winry, for once, had a lunch; consisting of the left overs from the day previous, while Paninya had a simple cup of rice, which she was digging mercilessly into with a pair of chopsticks. Either there was nothing more for her to say about the Elrics, or there would be no story telling that afternoon. Uneasily, Winry glanced over at her, chewing her lip as she noticed the prominent scowl on her friend's face, even as she ate.  
"You okay?"  
"I'm fine," she snapped, another large helping of rice poised in her chopsticks.  
"If you say so," Winry glanced disbelievingly at her.  
"I say so." Her angry tone signaled the end of the conversation as she scarfed it down.  
She surprised her when she asked suddenly,  
"What in hell happened to your arms?"  
"Two words: Cooking accident," Winry replied dryly, flexing one hand. She winced at the pull on her skin. Paninya gave her a doubtful look, muttering,  
"Must've been some cooking accident. Remind me not to let you make anything for me...ever."  
Thus another conversation had ended.  
Lunch was continued in silence, the two girls now in fairly bad moods. This show of negative emotions could be simply unreadable to some people, however.  
"Ehhh, hello!"  
Winry nearly toppled over in surprise from Ling's sudden presence. Sitting cross-legged in front of them, he grinned over at Paninya as he said,  
"First you go missing for a day, then Winry-san. Is this a trend in your country?"  
She coolly used her chop sticks to jab Ling in the forehead, throwing him off balance as he fell backwards. Ranfan, who was watching carefully from a safe distance, narrowed her eyes at the dark-skinned girl, but said nothing as he picked himself up and rubbed the back of his head. A good-natured smile was present on his face as he shrugged off the assault. Winry blinked as she noticed another bento-box held in his hands.  
"You didn't forget today?" she grinned.  
"Awww, no fair, Winry-san," he grinned back.  
Paninya ignored the two as she continued attacking her rice. Ling glanced at her in puzzlement.  
"You're angry?"  
An icy glare was fired his way. He didn't seem to notice it, however.  
"This is certainly unusual, Paninya-san. I understand your father was murdered recently and that you may be infuriated with a need for justice, but is it really ne- ow ow ow ow _owwww!_"  
"Ling-senpai, you are not helping," Ranfan looked something akin to livid as she pulled sharply at one of his ears, her expression matching that of Paninya's. His head was an awkwardly tilted angle; not to mention her height advantage (from her standing and him sitting) made her ear-pulling technique much more painful.  
"Ran_fan_," Ling whined, "that _hurts_."  
She glared at him, and to Winry's amusement, he actually seemed to shrink away. Paninya was going back to ignoring him, despite his later efforts to gain her attention for a second time.

Despite how quickly the beginning of the school day had gone, lunch seemed to stretch on for hours, Winry fidgeting as Ling whined and Ranfan reprimanded him; Paninya remained to herself, as irritable as she had begun with. When it finally ended, she felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she made for the door, accidentally walking straight into Alphonse. Glancing up at him, Winry opened her mouth to apologize when a subtle movement at his side caught her attention. He smiled as he saw her attention refocus.  
"This is Mei Chan, Winry. The new exchange student in our class; we share the majority of our schedules with her."  
She suddenly felt slightly ashamed; she hadn't noticed the girl's presence in any of her other previous classes.  
"Eh? Oh, hello! I'm Winry," she smiled down at her, extending a hand before quickly drawing it back, remembering how Ranfan hadn't recognized the gesture. To her surprise, how ever, Mei Chan grabbed at her hand and shook it heartily, an equally cheerful smile on her round face.  
"Nice to meet you Winry-san. You have such pretty yellow hair," the exchange student remarked.  
"Um, thanks," her cheeks burned at the unexpected compliment. "Your hair is done up very nicely, too."  
She was considering asking Mei Chan if she had experienced any...problems...with any of the other girls, but her mood seemed too pleasant to spoil. She had to admit that the girl of such petite stature was...well, rather cute.

Winry flinched as she felt Paninya come up behind her and freeze, taking a quick, heated glance at Mei Chan and Alphonse before storming off past them. Alphonse's puzzlement matched hers.  
"Any idea what that was all about?"  
Winry shrugged.  
"Sorry, no idea."  
She blinked as she noticed Mei Chan's gaze harden, and following her line of vision, found that her line of vision landed on Ling and Ranfan, who stood a ways behind her.  
"Uh, Mei Chan-san...you know them?"  
The petite fifteen year old nodded vaguely, her gaze forming into a glare as Ling looked to her and returned the same look. Ranfan appeared absolutely furious, while his face remained fairly composed. The two other exchange students strode coolly over to join them, the dark looks intensifying with every step taken.  
"Ling Yao-san," Mei Chan addressed him stiffly.  
"Mei Chan-san," he smirked in reply. Ranfan stood silently behind him, taking off a pair of reading glasses Winry had not noticed her wearing earlier. However, this was easily disregarded because of her confusion; with a quick glance at Al, she could see that he felt quite similarly.  
"Why are you here?" Mei Chan asked suddenly.  
"I would ask you the same thing. You deported a week ago, am I correct?" he retorted.  
"Yes..."  
"We deported two weeks ago."  
She bristled.  
"I know that."  
"Then why ask?"  
"You have no business being here."  
"Being here is _everyone's_ business."  
"No it's not. It's quite private, actually."  
"It's anything but private if _he_ is still loose and out killing," Ranfan blurted out suddenly. Her face turned crimson at her mistake. Ling waved it off, assuring her silently that it was fine.  
"Xiao-mei and I are much more capable of this than you two," Mei Chan glared at him.  
"Don't be stupid," Ling snapped. "_He_ will be captured by _our_ hands."  
"Then don't whine when I get to _him_ first," was the cold reply.  
"We won't," a smirk was the response.

The three exchange students peeled off in two different directions; Ling and Ranfan turning to go down one hall, while Mei Chan strode into the cafeteria (she was without her own food and found it necessary to buy some), leaving Alphonse and Winry behind. Dryly, she remarked,  
"Any idea what that was all about?"  
"No...not even vaguely," he admitted, sighing.  
"So, seeing as you just shared last period with Mei Chan," she decided to change the subject, "How is she? Is she nice?"  
He brightened.  
"Yes, very much so. She's quite bright and makes good company."  
"Oh, really?" Winry grinned knowingly at him.  
"N-not like that, Winry!" he said quickly, eyes widening as he realized what she was suggesting. His cheeks actually contained a light blush. "Uh, I'm sure even you would be great friends with her!"  
She chuckled and patted Alphonse on the shoulder. His attention was drawn to the bandages on her arms again, and his face pulled into a frown.  
"You were lying to me yesterday," he accused.  
"About what?"  
"Your arms."  
Winry glanced down at said limbs.  
"Oh. Uh...well...it wasn't exactly the whole truth...but I did get glass shards stuck in me. Look, Al, you need to get to lunch, and I'm going to be late for my next class," she said quickly, spinning on her heal to head in the direction Ling and Ranfan had just left in. Feeling a hand catch her shoulder, Winry chewed her lip nervously as Alphonse insisted,  
"You _will_ be explaining this later, Winry."  
"Um, sure," was all she muttered before she tore away from him, her pace fast as she attempted to get out of his sight as soon as possible. She thought she heard an exasperated sigh from behind, just as she had turned the corner, but quickly decided that she had imagined it.

Little did she know, she had walked directly into a death trap.

"Winry-_chaaaaan_!" four voices chorused at once.  
She blanched as she recognized the musical tones. A sudden, painfully sharp pull on her arm had her up against a wall in a corner, four girls blocking any possible escape. All of them had mirrored poses and expressions; hands on hips, narrowed eyes, pouted lips, and tap the left foot. It was rather creepy.

However, creepy was their specialty. This was the Alphonse Fan Girl's Club.

"Um," Winry said intelligently. "Can I help you...?"  
She laughed nervously as she realized that she had forgotten their names. All of them.  
"We have some questions for you, Winry-_chan_," the first girl on the right spoke, her tone mocking. This was the leader of said club. Her "followers" echoed her.  
"Yeah, yeah! We have a lot of questions!"  
"Questions, Winry-_chan_."  
"Answer them truthfully!"  
_Awww, fuck it,_ Winry groaned inwardly. "About what?"  
"The new girl; Mei Chan."  
"...okay."  
"What is she to Alphonse-kun?"  
"Yeah, what is she?"  
"Alphonse-kuuun!"  
"I'll beat her up!"  
Winry's nervous laugh came back to her now.  
"Um, I don't know anything. Honest. I, uh, think he likes her though," she made her voice sound regretful. Maybe if they thought she was no longer a threat, her 'bullying' would not continue.  
"Oh ho ho, what's this? Are we jealous, Winry-_chan_?"  
"Uh, not especia-"  
"Ha ha ha! Winry-chan's dreams have been trampled like a budding weed!"  
"Take _that_, Winry-_chan_!"  
"But what about Mei Chan? Even if Winry-chan has been struck out, the exchange student is still a threat to our dear Alphonse-kun!"  
Their mood darkened considerably.  
_Struck out?_ Winry thought to herself, now thoroughly confused.  
"Uh...I have to get to class now. It was nice talking to you, but, um, I'm gonna be late," Winry edged her way out from the corner and slipped past them, her fast walk now forming into a run as she realized with dread that she had approximately one minute and fourty-eight seconds until the next class...  
_Oh, damn, I'm in deep shit,_ she whined inwardly.

* * *

_There you go; the Alphonse Fan Girls finally make their appearance! I decided it was due time to pay them some homage. :)_


	21. Chapter 20

**Brief Commentary:**  
Well, I have officially gotten the whole story line planned out...and just for your information, RNFYE will be having a SEQUEL. -grin- All the stuff I want to do is too long for one story, so I'll stretch it out into another one. After the second story, however, I plan to end it there (but who knows, perhaps my imagination will stretch it into a trilogy). Oh well. Seems like I'll be working on this for a while...I'm like, only one third of the way through. Not to mention that this is...CHAPTER _TWENTY?_ Holy hell! -stares- Wow...

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty_

To say that the remainder of the day went smoothly for Winry was an overstatement. After being late for her next class, it was then that she discovered that she had a test and the homework she had done the night before had been left at home. For the period after that, she was forced to take a pop quiz, and had a feeling that she had failed miserably. As she closed her locker door at the end of the day, Winry wasn't too enthusiastic about going home, either. Not with an adolescent, potty-mouthed boy slouching around her apartment, and with a nosy grandmother bothering her all the time. With a sigh, she turned the dial back to '0,' and turned to walk towards the entrance, waving good bye to Alphonse as he ran ahead of her to join the retreating back of Mei Chan. Paninya grouchily brushed past her, a cloud of anger still drifting around her head as Winry stepped quickly out of the way.

At the very least, it was warm outside, she reflected as she exited the school, eyes drifting automatically over towards the direction of the bike rack. Her feet sub-consciously leading her there, Winry focused on what she would be doing upon her arrival home. Well, obviously, Edward's bandages would have to be changed, and she would have to test his left arm for the correct responsiveness. After that, homework needed to be taken care of, and she had planned to call Paninya and ask about her uncommon behavior. Although she knew better than to expect anything more than an irritated snap in response, Winry was still rather curious. Hoisting her bag up onto her shoulder, she pushed up the kick stand and hoisted herself onto her bicycle, pressing her feet to the pedals and navigating away from the bike rack.

The ride home that day was ridiculously long compared to the one she made that morning; traffic was horrible at almost every block heading towards her house.  
_Jeez, what the hell is up with these people?_ she inwardly growled, glaring as a large crowd of pedestrians stepped onto the crosswalk, moving at what seemed to be a sluggish pace. Although Winry was secretly glad that her arrival home was being delayed, this was seriously drawing the line. Riding on the road had quickly become less hazardous than the sidewalk, as people were jostling endlessly together and were quite capable of knocking her off of her bike - she wouldn't be able to avoid them, anyway.

By the time her apartment pulled into view, Winry was readily exhausted and irritable, her butt also feeling particularly sore. After her bike was _almost_ thrown back into the storage garage, she tore her way up the stairs to open the door, which, to her surprise, was locked. Grumbling, Winry fished a spare key out of her book bag, inserting it and twisting it roughly until she heard a resounding 'click.' Pulling it out and putting it back into her bag, she groped for the knob again, turning it and stepping inside, announcing loudly,  
"Baa-Chan, I'm home!"

Silence.

There was no answering grunt, no smart comment, no offer of food...nothing.

Peering around, Winry stiffened when she saw that Edward was not on the couch; nor was her grandmother within the vicinity of the kitchen, as she would normally be. It was dark inside, the light drifting in through the blinds and the open door casting long shadows on the tiles. The silence was so thick that it felt suffocating.  
"Baa-chan?" she tried again, suddenly timid. Again, there was no response.

Shutting the door behind her, Winry slipped out of her shoes and ventured inside, deciding it would be best to check every room first before jumping to conclusions. Obviously there was no one in the foyer or the kitchen/living room. Padding cautiously open the bathroom, she slowly pried open the door, to reveal nothing. Licking her lips, Winry next tried the tiny extra room they generally used for personal storage. Nothing. Pinako's bedroom. No one. She even tried the hall closet, with the same results. Swallowing, she turned instead turned towards her bedroom door, the only bedroom with window directly facing the streets outside. Suddenly nervous, she twisted the knob and pulled it open. There was no one there.

There was nothing out of the ordinary, at all.

Unless you counted the shattered glass fragments littering the carpet and the traces of dried blood left behind on the jagged remains of the window.

Winry couldn't help it. Really. She couldn't stop the loud, breathy gasp accompanied with an "Oh my fucking God..." as she slumped to the floor, legs too weak to hold her up. What in the hell...? She allowed herself a few minutes to clear her mind, remembering to keep her breathing steady and her thoughts focused.  
With an agonized glance at the shattered window, it was relatively easy for Winry to assume that Edward was no longer in the apartment. He had "escaped." But where was her grandmother? Had he done something to her to keep her from stopping him? According to her analysis of his nature, he could; rather easily and without remorse.

But had he ki-

"Winry?"  
Her back shot ramrod straight.  
"Baa-chan?" she yelped, jumping to her feet and running out towards the foyer. There her grandmother stood, with two shopping bags in her hands and a confused expression on her aged face.  
"Winry? Where's the idiot?"  
"I-I, oh my God, Baa-chan," she stumbled for words. "He-"  
"Did he do something?" Pinako interrupted her sharply.  
"He's g-gone, Baa-chan," Winry admitted finally, "He...got outside."  
"_What?_" her grandmother growled. "Goddammit, he _is _a fucking moron! Isn't he aware that his wounds aren't fully healed yet?! He still is at risk for an infection! Damn it!"  
She fumed for a few more minutes before she finally sighed and set the grocery bags on the narrow kitchen counter.  
"Winry, help me put this stuff away," Pinako said briskly, as if intending to forget that there ever was an Edward. Complying, the younger Rockbell nodded, fishing inside the paper bags and pulling out a small container of strawberries. She shot her grandmother a puzzled look.  
"He had complained about not getting strawberries himself - I figured that he should have his own damn strawberries so he wouldn't have to eat ours."  
"O-oh."  
Smiling weakly, Winry turned to the tiny refrigerator to open it and stuff the strawberries inside, not sure as to how all of her grandmother's groceries were going to fit in there...  
As if reading her mind, her grandmother assured her,  
"I just got more soup, mostly, seeing as we were nearly out and he would still have had to eat more of it."  
She turned away to mutter not so quietly,  
"That was a bad stomach wound he had on him, and not just from that boy beating him up."  
Winry bit her lip and pulled a few cans of chicken broth from the bag, pretending she hadn't heard as she put them away.  
_That idiot,_ she thought bitterly as she reached into the bag again and pulled out two more cans, placing them accordingly on the cabinet shelf. _Is he trying to kill himse-_

The thought was immediately severed as she remembered the conversation she and Edward had had the day previous.  
_Maybe I __wanted to die. Did you ever consider that?_  
That was what he said.  
Did he mean it, though?  
Winry decided to push the idea to the far reaches of her mind as she closed the cabinet door, the remainder of the soup cans having been put away.  
_Just don't think about it_, she assured herself silently. _He won't do anything too stupid...probably.  
_Inwardly, she smirked as random, ridiculous images of Edward 'attempting' (keyword: attempting) to commit suicide. Large clowns with water guns riding around on the backs of bears were involved. Winry couldn't stop a smile from spreading on her face before she mentally told herself to cut it out; she knew it was getting just plain stupid when marching dictionaries fresh from a boxing match had arrived to invade the scenario in her imagination.

"Anyway, Winry," her grandmother interrupted her train of thought. "Why don't you get started on your homework? Your smiling is starting to scare me."  
Winry attempted to pull her face into a neutral expression, although a snort escaped her and she very nearly burst into a fit of giggles. Pinako gave her a strange look, eye brows raised, and repeated,  
"Winry - homework?"  
"Um, right," she covered her mouth, inwardly rolling her eyes at herself. What was _with_ her? She had just been distraught over Edward less than a minute previous, and now she was trying to control a giggling problem.  
_Mood swings, much?_ the blonde teenager thought dryly as she ventured to the foyer where her book bag lay, discarded on the floor. Snatching it up, she nodded towards her grandmother as she passed through the kitchen/living room to reach her bedroom, where she dropped said bag on her bed and examined the glass littering the floor.

"Baa-chan?" Winry called out.  
"What?" she heard her grandmother yell in response.  
"I forgot to mention that he broke through...uh, my window to get out." She bit her lip as her attention focused on the pieces of glass stained with Edward's blood.  
There was a loud groan in response, before she heard Pinako again.  
"Next time you bump into him, tell him to fess up some cash - he is _paying_ for that goddamn window!"  
"Sure thing," she answered half-heartedly, stepping out into the hallway to get a broom and duct tape, mood fairly turned again. Rather than amused (in a frightening sort of way), she felt much more agitated, and, much to her annoyance, concerned.

Re-entering her room, Winry glanced out her shattered window, shivering as a cold breeze blew through it. The sun, already beginning to sink in the sky, glinted off of the surrounding buildings, casting an orange glow on the streets below. With a sigh, she muttered,  
"What the hell are you doing out there, you idiot?"

* * *

_Done! Finally...-breathy sigh- The updates will be weekly again from now on (until summer, if this continues for that long), sadly.  
_


	22. Chapter 21

**Brief Commentary**  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed - I still can't believe I have over a hundred of those things (with NO flames)! And after only twenty chapters...geez, you guys really are too nice to me. XD Props to ya! (What does that mean, anyway? -shot- ) Anyway, here's chapter -OMGSHIT- twenty-one. I'm going to refrain from saying 'Please Review!' because then I would sound like a greedy bitch. :)

_And we're all to blame  
We've gone too far  
From pride to shame  
We're trying so hard  
We're dying in vain  
_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-One_

Four days passed in what felt similar to a daze to Winry, who had, for the moment, put Edward aside and tried to forget about him as much as possible. He simply wasn't worth her time. But still a small part of her brain wondered where he was, and if he was safe. Well, as safe as one could be when living on the streets, but that was besides the point.

Paninya had grown exceedingly more and more irritable through the rest of the school week, and although Winry _had _investigated the cause, she had only received a "Mind your own fucking business" in return. Ling had also pursued an answer, but she wasn't nearly as gracious as she had been with her friend. The unfortunate exchange student had to ask to be excused for the remainder of the day due to the severe punch he had received in the gut. Much to Ranfan's chagrin, he did _not_ grant her permission to 'take care of' the dark-skinned girl.

Winry couldn't help but wonder if Paninya's 'time of month' was not the initial cause for her behavior, but decided it would be better to hope for a more cheerful, Paninya-like mood the next week following. As the first day of spring approached, the sun was (at last) beginning to set later into the evening and rising earlier in the morning. For this, Winry was grateful - her chances of being mugged (or possibly running into Edward) were much slimmer when it was broad daylight outside.

She mused over this as she made her way home, carefully chewing on a fingernail as a warm breeze swept through her hair. With her book bag swung over her shoulder, she walked quietly along the street, with a reassuring glance up at the sky. She still had several hours before she could possibly be caught out in the dark, and she was no where near the area of town where she had met with Edward twice before. Humming softly, Winry pursed her lips as her stomach grumbled, alerting her of extremely sudden hunger pains.  
"At least I know I'm eating when I get home," the blonde-haired adolescent muttered, placing a hand on said stomach.

As she passed an alleyway, a sudden movement caught her eye. Swallowing slightly, Winry spun on her heel to peer towards the alley's mouth, hoping against hope that it wasn't Edward or Scar.

To her relief, it wasn't.

Instead, she found herself watching the backs of none other than Ling, Ranfan, and Mei Chan, who was accompanied by a small, cat-sized panda. Winry blinked rapidly to make sure her imagination wasn't getting the best of her. The three exchange students were muttering angrily at one another, the panda's fur bristling with obvious distaste. They all (even the panda) seemed to be in some kind of heated argument. Unable to suppress her curiosity, the younger Rockbell started towards them, preparing to call out until they turned a corner, going deeper into the maze of the back alleys. Interest piqued, she began to follow, her wariness of such an environment pushed to the far reaches of her thoughts.

Eventually, they seemed to notice they were being followed - although she was pretty sure that they didn't know it was her. They managed to lose her in no time, as if they knew the workings of the alley system by heart. She would turn a corner she had seen them go down and see them disappear down the next, left behind to try and catch up. It was within several minutes of this game of chase that she realized that she had lost them, and that she was incredibly lost herself. The wariness she had felt before was now the foremost emotion in her mind. The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon, shadows around her growing longer even though she still had a few hours or so before it would be completely dark outside. With a shiver, Winry tightened her hold on her book bag and drew her sweater closer to herself, beginning to walk down the alley she stood at the mouth of.

"_Hey there._"

Winry nearly jumped at the sound of a human voice. Her gut throbbing with dread, she turned slowly to face a man she did not recognize, with a dirty leather jacket draped over his bare shoulders and a pair of torn jeans low at his waist. His hair, a disgusting brown color, was long and shaggy, his breath reeking of tobacco and alcohol. No shoes were on his feet, and she thought she glimpsed the blade of a knife a pocket of his pants. The blonde teenager gulped audibly, backing away from him and squeaking as she ran into another person.

"Where you goin'?" the man behind her could barely conceal the smirk in his voice. Turning her head to look at him, she nearly gagged. His grimy face was stretched into a grin, yellowed teeth flashing in the dimming light of the sun. Although his bright red hair was cropped short, and he wore only a shirt and a pair of leather pants, his condition was very similar to that of the first man. The bulge of a gun was evident in his front pocket.

Not bothering to respond, Winry twisted into a new direction in hopes of evading them, only to stop short at a third man blocking her way. He was fat and sweaty, licking his lips with a grin as she fearfully met his eyes. He was twirling a pistol in one of his grubby hands. Spinning around on her heel, she began to feel panic well up from her stomach as a fourth and fifth man kept her from escaping, their appearances identical right down to the shape of their noses. One hefted a rifle back in forth in his hands, while the other examined a rather rustic-looking dagger.

Five men. All armed with possibly lethal weapons. One of herself. Not even a hair pin on her.

"Um, I don't have any money on me," she squeaked, raising her hands in the air.  
The fat man spat near her feet, causing her to jump away. He laughed as she did so, then lowered his voice to a chuckle.  
"Do you think we care about the cash you got, pretty bitch?"  
Winry choked back a cry of fear as they advanced, flinching as one reached out to touch her. They smirked in unison, the first of the two identical men grabbing at a lock of her hair and twisting it roughly around his filthy index finger. She let out a small whimper as he gave it a harsh yank, almost throwing her off balance.  
"What pretty hair," he hissed in an amused tone.  
"P-please stop," Winry begged in a pitifully quiet voice. This seemed to trigger them, as the five men all lashed out at once, some hands tearing at her clothes, at her bag, at her hair, while some holding knives slashed into her skin, sending her on her knees to the ground. Tears flowing down her cheeks, she let out a blood-curdling scream, startling the men at her volume. Bitterly realizing she had them distracted, she jabbed at their legs, toppling some over while throwing others a ways off of balance. She groaned as she received a sharp kick in the side, mutterings of "Damn bitch" ringing in her ears.

Clutching at the spot on her flesh where she had received the wound (a bruise was certain to blossom there), her vision grew slightly hazy as she was hit - hard - in the back of the head. Desperately trying to focus on the bandages that had remained on her arms (these were the deeper cuts from the porcelain), Winry felt her eyes burned with tears as she was roughly picked up by her hair, attempting to kick out at them as they did so. She found herself staring straight at the brown-haired man's face, a snarl on his lips as he spat at her,  
"Stop trying to resist, girl. The madder you make us, the..._rougher_ we get."  
He and the other men grinned, as if sharing a private joke.

Her stomach dropped in dread as she realized what that 'private joke' was.

She was thrown ruthlessly onto a pile of garbage bags, the greedy eyes of the potential rapists glittering in the dimming sunlight. Winry cringed and screamed again as a hand tore her shirt mercilessly from her torso, while another pulled eagerly at her skirt, tearing off jagged strips of the cotton material. As she tried to cry out a third time, a large hand clamped over her mouth, the fat man's eyes peering directly at hers, licking his lips as he observed her nearly half-naked state.  
"Aw, now," he smiled unpleasantly. "Can't we just have a _little_ fun?"  
She squeezed her eyes shut as another hand snaked towards her underwear.

Winry didn't see the movement get stopped short, then the hand yanked away all together as the man was pulled back. He let out a cry as he was punched mercilessly in the stomach, then the face, then socked in the jaw. Startled, she allowed her eyes to slowly open again, and couldn't help but gape as she observed each man get beaten to a pulp - it was so fast and efficient that the technique would have to be one learned throughly by an expert in the subject.

A man drew his gun and attempted to fire at his assailant several times, but the pistol was knocked from his hands and a kick landed squarely on his throat. With a gulp, she quickly realized that, had the kick been any harsher, the man's neck would've snapped, and the now retreating figure would be rendered dead. Finally, they turned, and their eyes met hers. With a rattled gasp, she realized who it was, and let out in a cracked whisper,

"It's you..."

Then, due to the throbbing from the back of her head, Winry's vision seeped into nothing but blackness, and she fainted.

* * *

_Until next weekend, ladies and germs. :D_

_We're hopelessly blissful and blind  
To all we are  
We want it all  
With no sacrifice_


	23. Chapter 22

**Brief Commentary:  
**Kekeke...I don't have anything to say. :) 110+ reviews, eh? Thanks! The other fanfics I've been writing/started on have been to get my creative juices flowing - I recently hit a hard case of writers block and I needed something to get me out of it. Just for reassurances, TFD is something I will write on and off - RNFYE is still my main focus.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Two_

Winry woke up with a start, quickly regretting the sudden movement as the back of her head began to throb. Instead of the lumpy garbage bags she had been dumped on, she found herself in a comfortable, clean bed, dressed neatly in...in clothes she wasn't wearing before. What the...?  
Kicking off the sheets and nearly falling off of the bed (and suppressing a groan from her aching skull), as Winry stood, she found herself in a long-sleeved shirt and baggy sweat pants. They were comfortable enough; a little small, maybe. But who...?

"O-oh!"

A voice startled her out of her thoughts. Glancing towards the bedroom door, she blinked to see Ranfan standing there, a small blush lighting her cheeks. She blinked a second time when she realized Ranfan was not in her school uniform. Well, of course not - she whacked herself inwardly; today would be the day they had off. Instead, the exchange student was dressed in a pair of baggy jeans and a long red shirt. Her hair, so usually neat and tidy, was now messy and tangled. Her reading glasses were perched on the edge of her nose, in danger of falling off.

"S-sorry," she said weakly, "Did I wake you, Winry-san?"  
"Uh, no," Winry assured her, "I woke up, like, a minute ago."  
Gesturing to her clothes, she asked,  
"Did, um, you do this?"  
"Y-yes, sorry. Is that all right? Your uniform...w-well, it wasn't exactly in good condition..."

Winry felt a small wave of nausea surface as she remembered the last night's events. Nodding once, she sat back down on the mattress, surprised at how nicely it sank under her weight. She flinched; her head did not appreciate this sudden moving she was doing.

"Raaaaaanfaaaan!" an all too familiar voice chimed.  
"Ling-senpai," Ranfan admonished him as the exchange student walked in casually, waving a hand in greeting. "Please keep it down. Winry-san still has a fairly bad head injury."  
Wearing a pair of jeans himself, his shirt was instead a solid black color, with the white design of a snake printed near the side of where his abdominal muscles would be. Pointedly ignoring Ranfan, Ling grinned over at Winry, his tone practically musical as he said,  
"I was so very concerned for Winry-san! When we saw what those terrible men were doing to you, of course it was necessary for us to lend you hand!"  
"Oh, yes...thank you for saving me," she bowed her head quickly, embarrassed that she hadn't done it before. "Mei Chan-san...she was with you?"  
"She was," Ranfan confirmed, her voice edged with contempt, "but she left for her own home."

Winry allowed herself a brief glance around the room, and found that the style and decor were foreign to her. Well, obviously - Ling and Ranfan _were_ from a _foreign_ country. The confusing conversation that had occurred between the three students the week previous flashed in her memory again, and, with her curiosity intact, Winry turned to look Ling squarely in his squinty eyes, and asked sharply,  
"Speaking of Mei Chan-san, what were you all talking about that day at lunch?"

Ling and Ranfan looked to be taken by surprise at first, before they blinked and exchanged dark looks. Ranfan, with anger tinting her cheeks, blurted,  
"It has nothing to do with you! Ling-senpai is-"  
"Ranfan, it's fine," he assured her suddenly, barring her way to Winry with his arm.  
"B-but, Ling-senpai..."  
"Winry-san deserves a right to know - we were foolish enough to discuss something as serious as that at a school, now we must pay for our actions. Not to mention that she's caught up in this whole thing as well - she probably doesn't know it, though."  
"Surely we can't-"  
"Ranfan, please."  
"...okay, Ling-senpai..." Ranfan glanced down at her feet, abashed.  
He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder for a brief moment, before it fell back to his side again as Ling sat on the floor, gesturing for Winry to join him. Ranfan stood by the door, her expression dark and wary, as if she were expecting a mass murderer to come racing into the room armed with a rifle. Winry carefully did as asked, making sure to move slowly as she crossed her legs and propped her head up with her palm.  
"So," she said briskly; impatient. "What's this about?"  
Ling smirked.  
"Nothing much. Just the actual reason we're here in your country."  
"I look forward to it," Winry remarked blandly, although still surprised at the fact - she tried not to show it.

* * *

"Now, I presume you know a man by the name of Scar? By the look on your face, Winry-san, this is quite likely. Am I right?"  
A slow nod to accompany a frightened expression.  
"Has he attempted to kill you? A simple nod or shake of the head will be fine, Winry-san."  
Another nod.  
"With a gun?"  
"...uh huh," she said quietly.  
"I see! How helpful!" Ling said brightly, glancing with satisfaction towards Ranfan, who was busy scribbling something onto a piece of paper Winry had not seen her with. She hadn't seen the pencil, either.  
"You see," the exchange student lowered his voice here, a grin still dominant on his face. "Ranfan and I are after him to kill him. Mei Chan-san is our rival in this assignment as well."  
"...assignment?"  
"Scar has murdered several important figures in our country; if he were caught, it would mean death for him. He was believed to have fled here, to your country, also with an ulterior motive. As of yet, we have been unable to investigate properly and find out what it is. Strange how he would fire shots at you...hm," Ling scratched his chin and glanced absently at an oil painting on the wall. With a shrug, he continued his explanation, "In my country, Ranfan and I (Mei Chan-san also) finished our schooling a long time ago, and you can say we were drafted for this assignment. At first the three of us...well, not including Mei Chan-san's panda, were supposed to work together, but our families are rivals, so it didn't exactly go as planned."  
"Ling-senpai's and my family against Mei Chan-san's," Ranfan interjected quickly, hoping that she explained any confusion Ling might have caused.  
"I...I see."  
"It was only natural for us to apply for one of your high schools here - we would be rather out of place in this quaint town if we didn't 'attend' anything while all others our age did," Ling went on. The smile had disappeared from his face, to be replaced with an expression of boredom as he fiddled with a piece of thread poking out from the carpeting beneath them. "The only thing undesirable about attending the schools here is that the hours are long and we have less time to investigate - if my assumption is correct and that it was actually _you_ who had been following us, that is precisely what we were doing in the alley ways - investigating, that is."  
"But...you said you and Mei Chan-san were rivals in this...this 'assignment'? And how did you know the alley system so well? And-"  
He held up two fingers to halt her questions.  
"We are," he corrected. "But the 'persuading' part of the research usually works better when there are more than two people to do the 'persuading.' Secondly, we've been here for a long while, Winry-san. We've been here since before the day you moved into town, I can assure you. We've seen a lot of funny things. It's unfortunate that Ranfan fell ill with a fever the evening we heard gun shots being fired - I presume that it was Scar firing at you?"  
Ranfan blushed slightly at what must have been an embarrassing reference for her.  
"...when...when was it?"  
"Ho..." Ling scratched the back of his head in thought, "Little less than a month ago, I suppose."  
"...I see," Winry breathed in deeply before admitting, "Yes. The gunfire you heard was...was from Scar...although, he wasn't exactly shooting at me...he tried to at first."  
The exchange student raised an eyebrow.  
"There...there was some one else with me," she said quietly, twiddling her thumb and forefingers.  
"Who?"  
"His...his name is Edward Elric," Winry admitted, feeling slightly guilty about giving away Edward's name. Realizing this thought, she quickly reprimanded herself.  
_Who cares what Edward thinks anyway?_ She attempted to be angry with him, but it didn't work as well as she had hoped.  
Ling snapped his fingers as if he had realized something.  
"Ranfan," he said in a commanding tone, "My background notes are where I left them last. Please get them."  
She nodded quickly and scurried out of the room, leaving Winry in to stare after her in uncertainty. She had thought that Ranfan had some sort of authority over Ling? But with his sudden change of tone and attitude... He noticed her confusion and grinned over at her.  
"Ranfan is what you would call my subordinate, Winry-san," he explained rapidly, "She's a very good subordinate, as it is."  
At that moment, said subordinate appeared again in the door way, only slightly short of breath as she handed Ling a small stack of neatly paper-clipped sheets. He leafed through them rapidly, looking all business, until the serious expression was lost to a smile of absolute glee when he found what he was looking for.  
"Here it is! Alphonse Elric, then...hmm...mother dead...substituted parental authority...brother...ah ha. Edward Elric - occupation: none, intelligence quota...eh, 91, not bad...hrm, habits: smoking, promotes the use of violence...personality: not social, eh?"  
He smiled up at Winry, who by now was utterly bewildered by the sudden overflow of information Ling seemed to know already.

"You're pretty lucky, huh, Winry-san? Saved by the anti-social, violent street wanderer of this quaint town."

* * *

_Lol, that Ling. :D He's just a silly noodle sometimes (and I gave him a huge vocabulary - good for you, Ling!). And Ranfan...can you say stutterer? XD I don't know why I did it, but she blushes so much in the manga (when she first loses the mask). Not to mention she's got a pretty quick temper. Yikes. Btw, I has a three day weekend - that means another update will be rolling right along with this one!  
_


	24. Chapter 23

**Brief Commentary:  
**LOL, too much time on my hands. :D So here's the next chapter for all you young whippersnappers. (Is completely disregarding the amount of homework Aiiro still has to do over the weekend) I'ma get myself a sodie can so that I can stay awake while writing this time - having caffeine around the house is very handy in such situations and things. Anyway, I was extremely bored and took it upon myself to skim through this whole story up until chapter twenty-two, and I have one question:

How can you guys _like_ this? It's so poorly written and people are described so awfully that I feel like tearing my hair out. D: How do you STAND this story?!

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Three_

"Eh? Winry-san, you look very confused," Ling remarked, a proud smile dancing across his lips. She stared at him in silence. Taking this as an excuse to continue, he grinned, "I have background knowledge on everyone in this town - I even know where Scar tends to stay every now and then.  
"If you know where he is, at some points in time, then why don't you go and kill him?" Winry asked irritably, leaning back against the side of the bed.  
"Don't be foolish!" Ranfan burst out, "It's much to risky for Ling-senpai and myself to just march out and kill him!"  
Taken aback by the unexpected reaction, Winry drew her legs up a little closer to herself and hugged her knees, nodding for Ling to continue.  
"I even have some basic background knowledge on Paninya-san," Ling straightened himself and grinned again, as if the interruption had never even occurred. He began to recite Paninya's information, "Occupation: high school student, intelligence quota: 102, habits: being nosy, eating rice, exacting her beliefs of 'revenge' upon others, personality: easy-going, lazy, recently quick-tempered and upset from her father's murder-"  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Winry interrupted him, waving her hands in a signal for him to stop. "You mean you have background information on _everyone _here?"  
"Yes," he responded cheerfully. "Even on _you,_ Winry-san. Occupation: high school student, intelligence quota: 113, habits: chewing your lip, over-thinking things, personality: stubborn, sympathetic, parents were murdered at the age of twelve, no, eleven, and the murderer has still not been fou-"  
"Please stop," she cut in sharply. She could practically feel herself bristling. "I'd prefer that you not talk about that so freely."  
He smiled, completely undeterred.  
"Certainly."

After a few moments of an uncomfortable silence, Winry spoke up again.  
"So...do you have the background information for Scar?"  
"Of course we do! Do you think Ling-senpai is incompetent-"  
"Ranfan, please calm down. Yes, Winry-san. As a matter of fact, we know almost everything about him, except where he is at this moment."  
Slowly, reluctantly, Winry asked again,  
"What is his history like?"  
"Hm," Ling scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see...at one point he was a normal citizen here in this country; had a wife and son. Very kind people; a little isolated, but kind. Due to a terrible accident involving a truck and two smaller cars, they were all critically injured, although he managed to pull through a little more quickly. Unfortunately, his wife and son did not live, and out of anger, he killed the two doctors that had been treating them...then he traveled to our country, again, with a seemingly ulterior motive, and began to cause terrible ruckuses out on the streets. Officials tried to stop him and confine him, but those were killed. And eventually, great leaders of our country swearing to put him in custody were also murdered. Now he has fled here with the ulterior motive he has now."  
Winry felt her insides twist at one of the facts Ling had so calmly recited.  
"...how long ago was it...when he killed the two doctors?"  
"Eh, Ranfan...what do you think? Four years or so ago?"  
"I believe it was actually five years, Ling-senpai," she corrected him.  
"Ah, that's right! Five years," he grinned over at Winry, puzzled when he saw how pale she had gone.  
"So...they...they were killed...five years ago?"  
"Is something the matter, Winry-san?"  
She opened her mouth to speak, but found that she couldn't bring herself to.  
"Ranfan," he said suddenly, voice bright, as if he had just made a great discovery, "Make any possible connections between Winry-san's history and Scar's."  
"Yes, Ling-senpai," Ranfan scurried out of the room with Winry's file clutched in her hand. Much rummaging could be heard as she busied herself moving from place to place, as if looking for something. A small "ah" was made as she found what she was searching for. The small flipping of pages resounded off the walls in the now silent room. After a minute or so, she returned.  
"Ling-senpai," Ranfan reported, "Winry-san's parents were killed within the same year that the two doctors Scar murdered died also. The date of Winry-san's parents death is also one of the estimated dates for this act."  
She glanced over at her.  
"Winry-san, what were your parent's occupations?"  
"They..." she said softly, voice hoarse. "...they were doctors."

Ling clapped his hands together and said cheerfully  
"Well then, we have a new theory, Ranfan! The probability that Scar murdered Winry-san's parents has gone up by sixty-nine percent!"  
Ranfan scribbled something onto Winry's file and nodded vigorously, eyes bright at the new possibility. Winry, meanwhile, was distraught, confused, and exhausted by Ling's energy, even in such drastic situations. Slumping against the bed behind her, she closed her eyes and tried to push away the thought. But...Scar had killed her parents? Her eyes were shut more tightly as she attempted to suppress the tears from leaking out. She barely heard Ling and Ranfan discuss their new 'theory.'  
"But what would be his motive for going after Winry-san?"  
"To further his revenge, possibly?"  
"But why would he need to do that?"  
"Who knows? We'd have to further investigate his inner mind, and you remember how exhausting that is, Ranfan."  
"..true. Perhaps it would be better to, once he's in our hands, ask him ourselves?"  
"But who's to say he would cooperate?"  
"I know a few torture methods, Ling-senpai."  
"Ah ha ha! Well, that's true."

Eventually, Winry fell into what she thought to be a blessed sleep as the dialog between the two continued, hoping that she would be able to escape the frightening reality that she lived in.

Her dreams did not provide much escape.

_He stood across from her, sweat and blood caking both his skin and hers. In her hand she held a trembling pistol, pointing it towards his chest, while he had a hand-gun aimed for her head. He let out a snarl and fired rapidly at her, smirking as he noticed every wince she made from each shot. Some how, no bullets buried themselves into her flesh, and she was left standing shakily with tears streaming down her cheeks._

_She, in turn, fired at him, a sob escaping her lips as each bullet shot from the small barrel. She still had a lot of ammunition to go through, she realized bitterly. She flung herself to the hard cement ground as he returned the 'favor.' How much longer until he was out?_

_Standing again, she tried to stop her trembling hands from missing as she shot at him - it narrowly missed the side of his skull, as he managed to duck out of the way at the last second. He stilled unexpectedly as another figure came into view. Terrified that it was another person who had arrived to kill her, she shot and shot at it until it slumped to the ground, apparently dead. With a tiny sigh of relief, she flinched at the sadistic grin on his face as he seemed to realize who she had just killed._

_"Congratulations," he hissed at her, "You managed to take the life of the only ally you had with you tonight."_

_What? She peered more closely at the bloody corpse lying on the cement, and her body froze in horror._

It was **him.** She had killed** him**. Murdered **him.**  


_BANG, BANG._

She hurt, suddenly.

"Oi, Winry-san?"

Her eyes shot open, her breaths coming short and ragged as she began to realize that Ranfan was shaking her slightly, concern written on her face. Ling sat on the far end of the room, a frown on his lips. Winry realized with a slight blush that she was covered with sweat and had probably puzzled them with her nightmare - she seemed to have been thrashing in her sleep.

"Are you okay, Winry-san?" Ranfan asked quietly, her hands retracting themselves to her sides.  
"Y-yes...um, what time is it?"  
"Oh, it's been a few hours since you fell asleep," Ling offered kindly. "You seemed to have been suffering from a...oh, is it called a 'bad dream,' Ranfan?"  
"I believe it is correctly interpreted as a 'nightmare,'" she corrected.  
"Ah, yes, a nightmare," he smiled at himself. "Do you mind if we ask what it was about?"  
"Uh," Winry cautiously wracked her mind, "I...I can't really remember."  
Ling looked only slightly disappointed.  
"I see. Oh well."

At that moment, Winry grudgingly remembered that her grandmother probably had no idea where she was - she would likely get a stern, concerned bad mouthing if she didn't let her know that she was all right.  
"...Ling," she said quickly, "Do you have a phone I can use?"  
"Certainly," Ling replied happily. "Why do you need it?"  
"I forgot to let my grandmother know where I was."  
"Ah, actually," he blinked, "it might be better if you kept this location anonymous. For Ranfan and my safety reasons."  
"Oh...okay," Winry agreed.  
"All right then! Ranfan, please fetch Winry-san a phone."

Within moments, a phone was present in Winry's hands and she was busily dialing her apartment's number, shrugging off the intense looks Ling was sending at her fingers as she punched in each digit. Holding the phone to her hear and listening to it ring, Winry subconsciously chewed her lips as her stomach squirmed anxiously. By the second ring, her grandmother's voice crackled over the phone.  
_Hello?_  
"Baa-chan? This is Winr-"  
_WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!_  
Winry was forced to hold the speaker away from her ear, wincing at Pinako's volume level.  
"Baa-chan, I can explai-"  
_WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU COME HOME YESTERDAY AFTERNOON?! I WAS SCARED SHITLESS, WINRY!!_  
"Baa-chan, please listen," Winry spoke rapidly, praying her grandmother wouldn't interrupt. "Yesterday...I, um...slept over at Paninya's house...and I totally forgot to tell you."  
Her grandmother gave a disgruntled snort.  
_Really, Winry? You simply 'forgot'?  
_"Y-yeah," she laughed nervously. "And, um, I'll be-"  
Ling suddenly intercepted the phone from her and said kindly into the phone,  
"Winry will actually be staying over again tonight. She got a pretty bad bump on her head, and it's not good for her to move around so much. Is that okay with you, Pinako-san?"  
She blinked in surprise as she noticed how well Ling had changed his voice. He actually sounded like a girl - not in an embarrassing way, but more of an impressive one.  
_...who is this?  
_"I'm another friend who decided to stay over," he replied calmly.  
_I see. Well, how did she bump her head?  
_"Ha...you see, we were unintelligently running around the house," he made his voice sound sheepish, "and she slipped and fell backwards - she was actually out for a little while."  
_How long is a little while?_ Pinako sounded doubtful.  
"Oh, only fifteen minutes or so," Ling assured her. "But, yeah, the bump is pretty big, so she'll just be over again for tonight, okay?"  
_Well...alright.  
_"Thanks a lot, Pinako-san!" he said cheerfully. "Bye bye!"  
He promptly ended the conversation by pressing 'End' on the portable phone, and flashed a thumbs up at Winry.  
"You now have an excuse to stay here another night - and this time it's perfectly honest."

* * *

_Badabing, badaboom. :D There may or may not be more updates as the three day weekend goes on. I'm hopefully leaning towards more...but my mountain of homework is rather intimidating to look at._


	25. Chapter 24

**Brief Commentary:  
**Currently it is 1:30 AM. I'm still wide awake and hungry. What is an 'authoress' in her 'prime' to do at such an hour? Make a sandwich and write the next chapter for a fanfiction, of course! Yay for peanut butter. :D Reviewing is teh awesome. So is 'Caramelldansen' by the Swedish (NOT JAPANESE) band Caramell.

_Dansa med oss  
Klappa era händer  
Gör som vi gör  
Ta några steg åt vänster  
Lyssna och lär  
Missa inte chansen  
Nu är vi här med  
Caramelldansen  
O-o-oa-oa..._

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Four_

"Why do I need to stay here a second night?" Winry blinked over at Ling. He merely smiled and shrugged as she continued to speak. "I mean, I know I was kind of - well, okay, really freaked out because it turns out Scar is the guy who murdered my parents, but-"  
"I told your grandmother about your head - that is perfectly true, although I might have done a little editing when I said you'd have to stay around longer because of an inability to walk," he interrupted her suddenly, choosing this moment to examine the cleanliness of the fingernails on his left hand.  
"...wait, what?"  
Ranfan took it upon herself to explain, her tone impatient.  
"You are perfectly capable of moving around and walking on your own, Winry-san. Ling-senpai has convinced your grandmother of otherwise. However, we've calculated, while you were asleep, that it would be safest for you to remain inside. At the moment, anyway."  
"Oh...uh, then thanks...?"  
The exchange student let out a huff, muttering something like "Incompetence" before she slid to the floor, legs crossed and her arms folded over in her chest in what could have been a pout.

Ling, meanwhile, seemed to be mulling over something in his mind, eyes wandering in opposite directions as his fingers twitched individually. Winry resisted the urge to go over to him and smack him out of it - it was extremely disturbing to watch him do such a thing. Finally, he appeared to have come to a conclusion, as his pupils reverted back to a normal stance and his hands stilled. Sitting upright, he grinned at what he seemed to have just calculated.

"Well, I have an interesting theory," he announced. Ranfan immediately made a grab for a near by piece of paper and pencil, while Winry squirmed inwardly with unease. She wasn't so sure how much she liked Ling's 'theories.'  
"Suppose," Ling began relentlessly, a smile on his face, "Scar decides to try and remove Winry-san of her allies, potential or those that already are. We'll count Edward-san as one, perhaps Alphonse-kun as another...Paninya-san, of course, Ranfan and myself, although he probably doesn't know that yet...oh, and Pinako-san could be a potential victim as well. However, the most accessible victim and, at the moment, the largest threat known to Scar would have to be Edward-san. Although Scar is cunning and incredibly strategic, he gives into strong feelings rather easily and, like any normal human, would rather catch the easy 'prey,' if I may use that term, first. So I suppose there will be a little cleaning up for Ranfan and I to do to keep Edward-san's possible death covered up - we don't want the authorities disrupting our assignment."

Winry, who found herself as white as a sheet, easily disregarded the fact that Ling was speaking mostly to Ranfan (who was busy scribbling down his speculation word for word), one of her greatest fears coming to light. Suppose...suppose...that word, that seemed uncertain at first when Ling used it, but now seemed as matter-of-factly as a promise...what if...what if was always worse.

What if Edward died?

She shook the thought away, refusing to think like that over him.

What if _anyone_ died? By her faults? ...her parents' murder had been a toll on her life already. Not to mention, their deaths were already by the hands of Scar...if he killed anyone else, she wasn't sure how she'd be able to handle it...unless Scar skipped killing her 'allies' and went straight to her own death. She clutched at the fabric of the sweat pants so tightly that her knuckles grew a snowy white. Attempting to appear calm, she said quietly,

"You called Al 'Alphonse-kun.' Do you know him?"  
"Eh?" Ling blinked at her, then his smile broadened into a genuinely happy grin, "Oh, yes, Alphonse-kun and I have spoken many times before; he is a very intelligent person, I have to admit. In our country he would do well as a government investigator...not that those who posses that title have much 'adoration' from the people. Government investigators often dig far deeper into people's lives than need be."  
He admitted this last part with a shrug and a sheepish upturn of his lips, the grin having slunk away.

"Anyway, Winry-san; you seem to have something else you would like to say," Ling quickly brought back Winry's moment of horror. "Would you like to share it with us?"  
It sounded like that taunting voice a teacher might take if a student was caught whispering during a lesson. _Would you like to share it with the rest of the class?  
_She swallowed, fidgeting ever so slightly under Ling's narrow gaze and Ranfan's expectant icy look.  
"...I...well...you said...Edward...well, he might be...killed..."  
Ranfan made a non-committal noise.  
"And...I...I don't really...want him to die..."  
"Mm?" Ling raised his eyebrows and smirked knowingly, propping his elbow on one crossed leg so that would support his head, which he rested on it now. "And why not? Surely a ruffian doesn't mean anything to such a pretty young woman such as yourself."  
Winry tried to keep a blush down as she blurted,  
"But he's not-!"  
She clamped her mouth shut as she realized what she was about to yell.  
"Not what? Intelligent?" he smirked.  
"N-no...I meant..." Winry couldn't bring herself to say anything else, and chose to stare at her lap.  
Ling, to her relief, shrugged it off, although a small glitter in his eyes signaled that he would be eager to pry later.

At that moment, her stomach allowed itself a loud gurgle, disrupting the slight quiet that descended into the room. Ling and Ranfan blinked, before tiny knowing smiles broke out on both of their faces.  
"Hungry, Winry-san?" Ranfan asked politely, already standing to leave the room.  
"A-ah...yeah," she admitted, watching warily as she left without acknowledging her reply.  
"Don't worry," Ling assured her, all smiles as usual. "Ranfan is excellent at cooking."  
"...is she the one who makes those bento-boxes you eat at lunch?" Winry attempted at conversation. He seemed to notice this and kindly immersed himself in it.  
"Ah ha ha," his laugh was borderline sheepishness, "Yes, I suppose so. I'm afraid I can't prepare food to save my life."  
"Eh, really? Neither can I," Winry admitted, her tone matching his. Offering the remaining bandages on her arms as an example, she blushed slightly as she confessed, "This is from me just carrying a bowl of hot soup in a porcelain bowl across the room."  
Ling suppressed a chortle of laughter (it came out as a strange sort of snort).  
"I was wondering what the cause for that was," he smiled genuinely, although his eyes held a knowing look, as if he had a pretty good idea of what actually happened. Winry managed to keep the shiver threatening to crawl up her spine from surfacing, looking Ling straight in the eye and shrugging helplessly, a half grin present on her lips.  
"I don't think I'm quite made for the kitchen. I'm lucky if I don't burn bread in the toaster."  
"I attempted to prepare a very simple meal of rice and fried chicken...both were burnt to a crisp. The whole apartment - or was it called a condo? - stank of burnt meat for days, and the smell of ruined rice is even worse, I assure you. Since then Ranfan has kept me away from the kitchen unless it's for me to get an already-prepared meal," he admitted, raising his hands in the air and bowing his head in mock signs of submission.

When Ranfan returned with three plates piled rather high with the foreign foods Winry had glimpsed in Ling's bento-boxes, it was all eaten rather quickly. Winry was so hungry that it was difficult for her to fully appreciate the spices added, the warm bland flavor of the rice coated in some sort of spicy sauce, and the fried shrimp lying so very neatly one on top of the other. A small salad in an equally small bowl accompanied this meal, and was also eaten with much haste. Surprisingly, Winry found herself not full, but simply no longer hungry. Glancing at the small bits of food left on her plate in slight awe, Winry stood slowly and stretched her arms, perching on her toes in attempt to stretch the muscles in her slightly cramped legs as well. She sat back down, and the room lapsed in a semi-comfortable silence, Ling and Ranfan leaning against the wall with their eyes closed, as if contemplating a simple matter with a difficult decision to be made, and Winry staring off into space, face furrowed into a frown. She too, was considering a difficult decision, but the matter itself was anything but simple.

After several minutes, she licked her lips and stood again, the two exchange students opening their eyes as she did so; they kept themselves slumped against the wall.  
"Something to ask, Winry-san?" Ling offered. "You seem to have much on your mind."  
"You're face looks very stressed," interjected Ranfan, although she closed her mouth again.  
"Well, I...I was w-wondering," Winry began shakily, sweat beginning to coat her body as she swallowed. "If you had...a...if you happened to have...maybe a small..."  
"Yes?"  
"D-..." A deep breath and a long exhale before another quick intake of air.

"Do you have a gun?"

Ling's face broke out into a grin, Ranfan's expression more of a shy smile as he exclaimed happily,  
"Oh, I was guessing Winry-san would ask such a thing! At first I was doubtful, but oh, no, I was quite right! Yes, yes, of course we have a gun!"  
"...can I...um...may I please...borrow it...?"  
"Certainly! Ranfan, please go fetch dear Winry-san here a nice, polished, and loaded, please, handgun!"  
Ranfan immediately stood and did as asked, walking briskly out of the room.  
"...I...I plan to...shoot Scar with it...you know..."  
"Mm-hmm! And it's quite late already - about 10:00 PM or so at the moment! He'll be out and about rather soon," was the cheerful response. "He always starts walking around killing random street thugs at about 10:30 and on."  
"...aren't you going to stop me?"  
"Oh, no! I wouldn't dream of it, Winry-san!"  
"...but you and Ranfan...and even Mei Chan-san...aren't you all trying to kill him?"  
"Yes, yes, we are," Ling's tone grew slightly impatient, "and I'm fine with you going out and attempting to shoot Scar only because I know that you have never used a gun before in your life (although you may have handled one), and you would probably either have a terrible aim or chicken out at the last minute. The latter of the two probabilities is worse, however, because you are more likely to be killed. And of course we'll arrange help for you in case something might go wrong, eh?"  
Winry's reply was shaky and faint.  
"Oh...I...I see..."

Her face, sweaty and pale, added to her frightened, wary appearance of a sweaty, shaking body and unstable, ready-to-collapse-in-any-second legs. It was blatantly obvious she didn't want to do anything she had just said, and added to the belief that she would rather flee a possible show down with Scar and risk being murdered than standing up to him in a fight and possibly killing him. As Ranfan came back with revolver in satisfactory condition (all the while muttering apologies for misplacing the stupid handgun) and handed it to Winry, she feared it would slip out of her sweaty hands and knock onto the floor, flicking off the safety catch and firing into the room. She managed to clasp it, checking once, twice, three times to make sure said catch was on.  
"W-well...thank you for...t-taking care of me," Winry nodded, her nerves wracking her body as she visibly shook.  
"No problem," Ling seemed completely unfazed, waving in an optimistic manner. Ranfan nodded in return, as if not noticing Winry's condition.  
"Uh, I just have a quick...question."  
"Sure."  
"...I was just...w-wondering what you and M-Mei Chan-san meant when you said...'deported.' You said you've been here a long time...so what does it m-mean?"  
"Stuttering _really_ doesn't suit you, Winry-san," he sighed, rubbing his head and feigning agitation. She suppressed another shiver as she remember the incident that had occurred the day after Paninya's father had died. "But I'll answer you. You see, we were sent here originally to capture Scar and bring him back to our country so that we could properly serve justice. However, this didn't quite work as planned, so a few weeks ago all the families involved in this assignment were given permission to kill Scar whenever preferred or appropriate."  
"...o-oh...well...thank you again."  
Winry bowed her head, hesitant and reluctant, before she left without a word, extremely disheartened. The allies she had just spoken with had little to no faith in her actually accomplishing anything, and only hurling herself further into danger. As she opened the door and stepped outside into the slightly chilly night air, the young Rockbell took a deep breath and set off the front steps towards the alley nearest to her.

So she was suicidal and possibly insane?

So what? Fuck it all.

* * *

_Whoa, much longer than usual. o0  
_


	26. Chapter 25

**Brief Commentary:  
**With nothing better to do besides homework, here's chapter twenty-five for ya'll. :) Couldn't wait for this one - so much damned action is coming soon...although whether not it is in this chapter or the next remains a mystery...until you read it. LOL. -hums Lux Æterna-

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Five_

"Ranfan, Winry-san seems to have forgotten her shoes," Ling remarked as he stood by the door, glancing curiously down at the beat up foot wear.  
"It's just as well, Ling-senpai," she said in an agreeable tone, "Her shoes wouldn't have lasted much longer - although she's _bound to injure her feet_ in those treacherous alley ways. Don't you agree Ling-senpai?"  
"Of course, it's a risk for her unfortunate little _feet_," he picked up quickly on her emphasis. "I say we let a certain some one know so that he can make sure that she doesn't get any _cuts from the glass_ that is bound to be there, littering the alleys everywhere...I swear, drunks have no sense of manners. Is it really so difficult to find a suitable garbage can? There are plenty of them, after all."  
He sighed again.  
"Well, let us make sure he's notified about Winry-san's...condition. I'm sure that after all the trouble he's kept her out of, he would hate for her _feet to be so sore_ now."  
"Agreed," was the reply. "Shall we ready ourselves first?"  
"That would probably be necessary for this evening, I'm afraid. Much _glass _will be probably littering the streets everywhere we go."  
"Should we bring it along? Our _broom_?"  
"The more efficient one; more stability and contains a lot of _thick bristles_. Much more effective than your _average broom._"  
"I see, then. I will make sure to get it on our way out. Our travel as per the usual?"  
"Observing the moon closely? Certainly."  
"Yes, Ling-senpai," Ranfan quickly bowed her head and exited the foyer of their condo, retreating to her room to dress properly for this occasion. Ling did the same, peeling off in the opposite direction to his own room.

"Much glass will litter the ground this evening, I am sure."

* * *

Winry was deeply regretting her decision - every small noise was much too suspicious, every minuscule movement seemed threatening, and every squeak she emitted when she stepped onto another piece of glass was much too loud. Her body and hands still shook; at one point she had even dropped the revolver and stepped back at least nine paces out of fear. There was also a small regret for so foolishly and blindly leaving her shoes behind, but she knew she would attempt to wriggle her way out of the situation some how if she went back to fetch them. For now she would have to grin and bear it. Perhaps not including the grin part, so much, seeing as she was on the verge of absolute terror, hunting down a mass-murderer who happened to be looking to kill her - not to mention he had already taken the lives of her parents.

She bit her lip hard when she noticed the swaying figure of another drunk moving down one of the alleys she passed, but he didn't seem to notice her and continued on, mumbling something incoherent to himself. Exhaling the breath she had not realized she was holding, Winry continued on, the barrel of the revolver leveled towards the cement ground. She would be ready to - dear God - shoot any one suspicious who approached her, if she deemed them a threat.

It was now that Winry began to especially pray that she would not run into Edward - who knew where he went at night? She couldn't be certain as to where she was in town, but she hoped that it was farther away than he usually ventured in. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she heard the loud clatter of tin on pavement - the top of a garbage can knocked off. She dared not breathe as the hulking figures of a band of three knocked the garbage can to the side and started rooting through its contents, as if searching for something. When they seemed not to find it, they moved on in the opposite direction from where she was currently headed.

Allowing herself a breath again, Winry carefully avoided a shattered beer bottle on the ground, hoping her foot would not manage to find any fragments she couldn't quite see. As she ventured ever more deeply into the alleyways, she felt her stomach lurch and her skin break out in a sweat as she glimpsed who she had been 'looking for.'

Scar.

He sat lazily against one of the alley's brick walls, twirling his handgun between his fingers. A loose bandage on his shoulder flapped in the late night breeze, billowing a few stray hairs onto his tanned, scarred forehead. He didn't seem to have noticed her...yet. Scar was busy entertaining himself by flicking the safety catch on and off, off and on, on and off...Winry couldn't stop the sharp inhale she made. He noticed it immediately, head whipping to face her, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The red irises widened as Scar realized who she was, a dark smirk making its way onto his face. He noted the revolver shaking unsteadily in her hand and the smirk grew wider. Her fear began to climax as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I've been waiting for this day for five years," he told her, his voice menacingly calm and collected. Scar stood, the hand holding his handgun already outstretched and aiming for her forehead. Out of panic, Winry flicked the safety catch off and, using two hands to support the revolver, fired two shots, eyes wild as they cracked holes into the brick walls of the alleyway. He eyed the gun in her hand warily, a wry smile on his face.  
"You've never used a gun before, have you?"  
Winry didn't answer, face contorted into one of terror and madness. Her pupils dilated as she pulled the trigger a third time.  
"I suppose so," he answered himself, smiling. He in turn fired at her, clicking his tongue when Winry managed to evade it at the last second. "Don't worry, no one will come looking to find who's shooting who. This kind of thing happens every day, I assure you."  
Scar paused.  
"With the exception that this time, the corpse found will be one of a fifteen year-old school girl."  
"I-I'm s-sixteen," she corrected, index finger prepared to shoot at him again. She was too frightened, too 'insane' to say anything remotely coherent. He looked a bit taken aback by her interjection, but nodded.  
"I'm sorry, sixteen. Either way, you will be dead."

Scar released another bullet, his face losing all semblance of humor as he narrowed his eyes to aim. Winry let out a yelp and hurled herself to the side, mouth agape as she panted. The scrapes she had earned on her knees and arms oozed a small amount of blood, her minor wounds stinging as her sweat pooled into them.

"Stop trying so hard," he hissed, "you'll only die faster - and I intend to carry this out for as long as possible."  
After she failed to reply, Scar continued.  
"Do you know why I am going to kill you, and smear your blood all over the walls of this alley? Do you?!"  
Winry let out a stifled, desperate,  
"No..."  
"Your bastards for parents let my wife and son die! They did _nothing! _My son would've been one year older than you now if he was alive - one _year!_" His voice was borderline insanity as he kept screaming. "I _killed _them, those sons of bitches! I fucking killed them and I made them suffer, like my family did! They took away _my_ wife, _my _child! Fuck, I wasn't even able to attend their _funerals! _If they can take them away, then I get to do the same! They're _dead,_ the fuckers, and now I get to return the other favor and kill their beloved _child!_"

Winry's eyes were wide, face streaked with tears as she whimpered, crouching down behind a dented garbage can. Scar found her easily, firing again and again. She leapt out from her hiding place, forcing herself to the ground as he continued to shoot at her. With a shrill screech, she madly aimed several bullets at him, her eyes glazed over with grief and confusion, a desperate smile tugging at her lips as she realized she had managed to catch him in the arm. He stumbled to the ground, letting out multiple hisses of pain as skin was torn and the bullet in his arm dug further into his flesh.

"Fuck," he muttered, realizing said limb was now useless. He stood back up, a lethal glare raking her up and down.

_He stood across from her, sweat and blood caking both his skin and hers..._

Winry froze; he lifted his handgun up again to aim it, shooting again and again - from his injured arm, the bullets kept missing.

_In her hand she held a trembling pistol, pointing it towards his chest, while he had a hand-gun aimed for her head. He let out a snarl and fired rapidly at her, smirking as he noticed every wince she made from each shot. Some how, no bullets buried themselves into her flesh, and she was left standing shakily with tears streaming down her cheeks..._

She began to shake, the nightmare she had experienced the night before coming back to her. By mistake, she felt her fingers tug at the trigger again - the bullet missed. Scar snarled and did the same, Winry sinking to the pavement. The white noise in her brain alerted her that there was no pain and no, she was not dead.

_No, no, no_, she thought desperately, _This can't possibly be happening..._

_She, in turn, fired at him, a sob escaping her lips as each bullet shot from the small barrel. She still had a lot of ammunition to go through, she realized bitterly. She flung herself to the hard cement ground as he returned the 'favor.' How much longer until he was out...?_

She stood up, eyes red and warily observing Scar and darting to and fro around the dark corners of the alley. She tried shooting him again, but to no avail. A shape suddenly came into view, Winry's fingers going back to the revolver's trigger; a knee-jerk reaction.

_Standing again, she tried to stop her trembling hands from missing as she shot at him - it narrowly missed the side of his skull, as he managed to duck out of the way at the last second. He stilled unexpectedly as another figure came into view. Terrified that it was another person who had arrived to kill her, she shot and shot at it until it slumped to the ground, apparently dead..._

Winry couldn't stop the scream from clawing its way out of her throat as she aimed at the shape and fired once, twice, three times, tears streaking down her cheeks.

* * *

_Oooh, cliffhanger thing o' doom...please don't kill me... Update if I have the time; I've actually got a small homework load this weekend. Yipee!_


	27. Chapter 26

**Brief Commentary:  
**Augh, I was so bored (and feeling like procrastinating), so I went ahead and wrote chapter twenty-six. Jesus Christ...loves you! LOL, um, don't ask. XD It's kind of a thing going around the school...like fire to gasoline, basically. Even the "emo" people are using it. Eh heh...yeah. Um...-hackcough-...here's chapter twenty-six.

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Six_

Winry dimly realized that she had hit the alley's brick wall when she fired, causing miniature explosions of dust with a minor scattering of rubble. She didn't care that her eyes were stinging from the dust, or that she was coated white with the stuff - she urgently stared through it, desperate to see any signs of movement. She barely registered the sound of Scar's coughing and disregarded the fact that he was uncomfortably close.

Another loud hacking suddenly accompanied his, and Winry felt her body sag with relief as the dust settled to reveal a very familiar shape. Before she could completely realize who it was, the person shot out and knocked her off her feet, forcing her to the ground just in time for Winry to hear Scar firing at her again. A quick glance up confirmed her suspicions, but she hardly had time to think,

_Edwar-_

She was rudely shoved away as he stood, pulling his pistol once again from his jeans pocket. Winry easily recognized one of her father's shirts on his torso as he brought the gun up, flicking off the safety catch with quick efficiency as he began to shoot his rounds, golden eyes squinted to aim. She was surprised to see a sheen of sweat coating his body as he stood, and did not miss the slight trembling of his legs as Edward blocked her from Scar's view, and vise versa.

"Y-you-" she started, visibly shaken. She could still feel the twin rivets of salty tears on her cheeks, the flow continuing even against her will. The terror she had felt before had receded some what, but the ever-present fear remained. "You c-came to-"

"Shut up!" he hissed, voice fierce. She flinched backwards, and the sudden reality of the situation came back to her.Winry felt herself break out into a panicked sweat all over again, biting her lip anxiously as if to stem the emotion. Edward fired several rounds, face shadowed and unreadable as he aimed and shot, aimed and shot, over and over, while Scar dodged time after time to avoid the near constant stream of bullets. When Scar tripped and stood to recollect himself, he whipped around to face her, his face and voice both seething.

"What the hell were you shooting at me for?!"  
"I-I-"  
"I come here to see what the fuck is going on and you _shoot me!?_"  
"I d-didn't mean t-to-"  
"Oh, you didn't _mean to_; that's just fantastic-"  
"Edward, look ou-"

He dodged Scar's oncoming bullet before she could continue, ducking close to her face before righting himself. Edward smirked at her shocked expression and turned on his heel to return fire, visibly biting his tongue each time he missed.  
"Damn, I almost forgot how fast this guy was," he muttered to himself. Winry swallowed and tried to stand, having to lean against one of the surrounding brick walls for support. Squinting, she realized with dread that it was increasingly hard for her to see through the darkness; even though it must've been at least midnight by now, the shadows were only growing longer, enveloping the alleyway into an intimidating shade of black. With a glance at the sky, she shivered to find that the moon nor the stars were present tonight on a account of heavy cloud cover...it might even rain.

Her bare foot nudged something small and cold; looking down, Winry found it to be a cell phone. Picking it up and flipping the cover open, she was surprised to find that the scratched electronic communication device still had service, and good reception. She winced as Scar fired again at Edward, who avoided it before ducking down to return with a cascading of bullets. Flinching with each loud _BANG!_, Winry quickly punched in the three digits that would contact the nearest police station.

The ringing seemed to continue on for an eternity and longer before a click signaled that a phone was being answered. A gruff voice on the other end muttered into the phone, bored.

"Yeah, police."  
"W-we have a shooting g-going on," Winry whispered frantically. She could hear the officer straightening himself, voice now more brisk.  
"I see. Where is this?"  
"Um, I c-can't really t-tell," she winced as another gun shot rang out in her ear. "It's in the alleyways...and a m-man called S-Scar is involved."  
"Scar? My God..." Winry managed to hear his voice speaking to his comrades, "There's a shooting out there, and Scar's involved. Weren't those two other kids saying something about an incident? Where'd they go, Walter?" He turned his attention back to the phone. "We'll be over there as soon as possible, don't worry. We'll bring back up, as well. Thank you for your call."

The dial tone signaled the police officer had hung up. The phone slipped from her hands and clattered to the ground, Winry feeling quite light-headed from relief. Yes, the police would be here soon...they'd sort everything out, take Scar away...throw him in prison for life for all his crimes... She was taken by surprise when Edward's rough hand encircled her wrist and tugged her to his side, face lit with fury.

"Who did you just call?" he hissed, using his other hand to aim another bullet at Scar's chest as the dark-skinned man leapt over a fallen garbage bin. When Winry did not answer immediately, he repeated his question with more ferocity.

"_Who the HELL _did you just call?" He let out a snarl and tightened his hold on his wrist.

"T-the police," Winry squeaked, wincing at the pressure he was applying to it. She attempted to wriggle out of Edward's death grip, but the intensity only increased what seemed a tenfold; she let out a whimper, concerned he might break it.  
"You fucking called the _police?_ Aw, that's just damn great," Edward's voice rang out in disbelief and disgust. He pulled Winry down with him to avoid several bullets Scar had just fired, before giving her a seething glare that caused the young Rockbell to flinch away. He ignored her reaction and hoisted her up again, not releasing his tight hold on her wrist as he shoved her behind himself to release several more shots.

Winry let out a squeak as a hollow-point from Scar sped its way past, nearly nicking Edward's shoulder and subsequently the top of her bowed head as it went. She began to shake again as several more ricocheted off of the sides of the alley wall, instead of busting blindly into them, clattering to the cement at her feet. Winry froze as she heard Edward grunt, and stared in horror as a bullet dug its way out of his stomach to continue through the air, soaked in his blood, only to land a few meters away. Blood quickly began to soak itself into her father's shirt, Edward stumbling and muttering what sounded suspiciously like,  
"Goddamned sonovabitch...I'll fucking kill him...that's the third hole he's put in me..."

He coughed up some of his blood, wiping it carelessly on the back of his hand as he fought to regain his former stance, pistol balanced precariously in his shaking hand.

"D-don't," Winry choked, gently touching at his shoulder with her trembling, free hand as the spot of blood on the crisp, slightly dirty shirt grew larger and darker. "d-don't s-shoot at h-him, Edward...otherwise you're-" here she swallowed, face paling as blood began to drip onto the filthy cement, "-you're gonna d-die, Edward."  
He brushed her off, shaking his head and glaring hard at the dark-skinned man in front of him, who seemed to have paused briefly in amusement. A cough violently tore its way from his throat as he shot four times at him, more blood spattering the ground as he hunched over, pistol clattering to the ground and his grip on her wrist released as he clenched at the hole in his gut.

"E-Edward!" she couldn't keep herself from crying out, stumbling forward, just as Scar released another hollow-point aimed for her head. Another shot aimed into the sky echoed his, and Winry, crouched fearfully next to Edward, looked up to see several police cars surrounding the alley's mouth, one with the barrel of his gun pointed up at the sky. She was half-surprised to realize she hadn't noticed the flashing lights or heard the wailing of the siren, distracted as she had been. A drop of water on her nose also alerted Winry that it had just begun to rain.

In what seemed the blink of an eye, Scar was disarmed by the police force, his handgun falling to the ground with a metallic _chink._ In the next moment, he was surrounded by the uniformed men and being lead towards a police car, one attempting to snap handcuffs around his large hands. Her terror quickly sub-sided and Winry quickly relaxed, turning her attention back to Edward, who was still muttering curses with blood seeping past his lips as the rain fell harder, easily drenching everyone there who was without cover (the police had wisely brought a few umbrellas with them).

"God, Edward," she whispered, attempting to bring her rational thoughts back, "Give me your shirt."

He stared at her as if she was insane for a moment or two, before complying and straightening himself to do so. He was just about to reach for the seams of the soaked shirt when there was a yelp from one of the police,

"He had a concealed weapon-"

The cry was abruptly cut off, Edward and Winry looking back in shock as they realized that Scar had managed to pull out a knife, and had already decimated a good chunk of the law force. His crazed eyes landed directly on Winry, his red pupils dilating just as her blue ones did, and a dark smirk spreading onto his face again. Scar let out a strangled cry and charged towards them, knife extended in his hand and aiming straight for her.

And all Winry could think, as he raced towards her with the crystal clear intention of murder, was,

_Fuck, I'm going to die._

* * *

_Top that for cliff hangers! ...maybe. Or perhaps not.  
_


	28. Chapter 27

**Brief Commentary:  
**Yey, chapter twenty-seven. LAWL. Kudos to those who noticed _the website._ Which was NOBODY. I'm sooo evil that you guys can't even FIND IT! -dramatic music- For those of you who are wondering what the hell _the website_ is, it's something I've put up just recently (lawl, the 23rd, the links been up for a couple of days now...), and it has some very interesting information for you all. No, it's not spoilers. It's not extra-special information on the characters. Sorry to disappoint. LOOK FOR EHT, M'KAY?

Hint: The link is on my profile. Here. On fanfiction, thanks very much. Only those who actually ever bothered to read my profile will be able to find it (maybe).

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Seven_

_Fuck, I'm going to die._

Winry found herself suddenly immobile, Edward beside her breathing heavily and clutching the hole in his stomach as he stared warily at Scar, who was approaching at a frightening speed. She didn't even see Scar anymore - her eyes had glazed over and her body was paralyzed with a numb feeling, as if she couldn't even remember that she was in a situation where she would for certain come out bloody and dead (at least, that's what she believed. All the same, the probability was extremely high).

Just as she drew in one last breath before sub-consciously preparing herself for the cutting blow, a deafening _BANG_ echoed hollowly in her ears, eyes focusing as she saw Scar slump to the ground not a meter in front of her. The hand that had been holding the knife fell to his side, the weapon clattering onto the cement. His head was bowed and it seemed as though the dark-skinned man had stopped breathing. Winry was proven wrong as he inhaled shakily, before falling onto his side, limp as a rag doll.

It was only when blood began to pool beside his skull that she realized Scar had just been assassinated, as it were. She turned her gaze to Edward, who was still slumped next to her, his own gun still several agonizing feet away. He coughed again, more red liquid spraying from his lips. From another glance in front of her, it was easy to tell none of the law force had fired the shot. Winry looked up.

There were three - no, four figures there, on the edge of the roof of one of the ware houses, one very animalistic and small, while another had two buns on the sides of its head with a few thin braids dangling down. The third had one bun perched on the back of its head, and the fourth had long, spiked hair pulled back into a sloppy pony tail. Winry flinched when she noticed the sniper's rifle in the third person's grasp, still aimed at Scar's body as if expecting him to rise once again. It took several moments of fear and uncertainty until Winry realized who it was who had dealt Scar his last blow.

But what were they-

"Winry-san!" Ling's voice chimed down at her. "Hello there! Are you quite all right?"  
"L-Ling?" she said weakly, squinting to see his face clearly. He tutted at her,  
"Please don't use our names here, Winry-san! But wasn't my subordinates' aim wonderful? Right in the temple!"  
His head turned to glance at the police force, which was scrambling to regain itself and remove the dead bodies from the vicinity. After assuring himself that they weren't paying attention, he continued.  
"Yes, as you might have guessed, we're all here! Even-"  
"Don't say my name out loud, fool!" was a hiss from the head containing two buns. It turned its attention to Winry, "Winry-san, do you remember me?"  
"Mei Cha- I mean, is that you?" Winry tried to pull a bit of strength into her voice, but Scar's still-pooling blood was very distracting to watch.  
"Certainly!"

The police seemed to have at last organized themselves, the men there dusting themselves off and squinting through the dark, attempting to see what had just occurred. Ling noticed immediately and called down, voice still cheerful,  
"We'll be waiting for you at your apartment, Winry-san! See you there!"  
The four shapes launched off of the roof quickly, darting off into the night by leaping delicately on each warehouse, quickly fading into the night.  
"Wait a minute, you damn bastards!" Edward called out hoarsely, but it was useless - they were already gone. "Ugh..."  
He slumped onto the cement, one hand still trying to stem the bleeding from the wound.  
"Edward," Winry said, her voice soft, "Um, y-your shirt..."  
"Right, right," he muttered, attempting to straighten himself and pull it over his head. Edward thrust the bloody article of clothing into Winry's hands, apparently not concerned with modesty as he did not blush, while, unfortunately, she did. With shaky hands, she began to tear the cloth into strips, freezing when Scar's blood at last began to lap at her feet. Glancing back fearfully, she whispered,  
"Let's move away from here."  
"Best idea you've had all night," he remarked sarcastically, struggling to stand as she did. After a few seconds, he gave up and allowed himself to lean on Winry, who was having a bit of trouble supporting them both. He also didn't seem to feel sympathetic at all; she could tell his full weight was into it as he leaned.

They made their way around a couple of corners until they felt that the police would be unable to find them too easily, Winry going back to her task of tearing her father's shirt into strips as she sat, slouched against a brick wall. Anything to keep her mind off of what had just occurred. Her arms snaked around Edward's torso and back, repeatedly wrapping bandages around his wound.  
"At least the bullet went clean through," Winry tried to remain optimistic, although her eyes strayed to the disgusting bandages still on his left upper arm and, from what she had seen, his back. "It won't take too long to heal...although it would be better to take you to a hospital to get professional help..."  
She shook her head.  
"Baa-chan would be furious with me. Never mind."

Winry failed to notice Edward's growing agitation until he tightly grasped her shoulders; the only part of his face she was able to see were his eyes, brilliant and gold. They were ignited with anger and the receding shock they had both experienced earlier, and she tried to convince herself that she was imagining the concern that underlay the anger. She subconsciously felt her eyes begin to glaze over in fear as he opened his mouth to speak.

"You _idiot!_" he raged at her, shaking her furiously and bringing her face precariously close to his. "What the hell were you doing by yourself out here?! That damn bastard and his little friends came and tell me you were out here all alone with a fucking - God, a _fucking gun_, and that I should just come right_ now_, so that you wouldn't get yourself fucking killed, dammit! That was Scar, there! Even though he's dead now, you could've gotten a bullet to the brain or something, and yet you went out _anyway?!_ Do you know...aw, fuck it!"

All that Winry knew was that the back of her head was throbbing terribly from colliding with the brick wall behind her, her  
shoulders were aching from the pressure from his hands, and that her lips were being crushed painfully by his.

It was anything but pleasant. It wasn't even remotely romantic - she was too dazed by the previous events to be even fully aware that it was happening. His lips didn't even taste good, not at all like those stupid romance novels said they always did. No, Edward's lips were dirty, chapped (even split in one place) and he tasted like cigarettes and tobacco and blood. She might have been disgusted with the "kiss" if she was completely conscious of herself.

Edward drew away almost as quickly as he had dove forward, eyes lowering themselves towards the ground as he stood up; Winry didn't miss the way he flinched as he did. She couldn't tell if he was blushing or not. However, Winry, at the moment, was too numb to tell if she herself felt even remotely embarrassed.

"Let's just fucking go to your apartment," he growled impatiently, pupils narrowing into a glare.  
"Okay," she said dumbly, standing up along-side him, absent-mindedly wiping his blood from her bruised lips with the back of her hand. Said hand reached up to feel the back of her head, which she quickly retracted at the pain. A good-sized lump was present there, and Winry bit her bottom lip in slight concern as her intellect began coming back her. She quickly regretted the decision as the bruising began to ache more painfully.

"Um," Winry decided to speak up after they had been walking for a few minutes. "I'm sorry to say this now, but I don't know how to get back to the apartment."  
"I know that," Edward snapped, "that's why I'm walking in front of you, even with this damn hole in me. You shouldn't even be trying to find your way around here, if you don't know how to get home. It's actually very sad that I know the way to your apartment when you don't."  
His voice may have contained a sneer- she couldn't exactly tell. His tone may have even contained amusement at the irony of the situation. Winry was too tired to see if she could interpret him properly.

They continued to walk in silence for the remainder of the time, her brow furrowing in concern when ever he let out a pained grunt. Edward would brush her off and continue forward, and, with little other options, she would follow behind him. The blood on her knees, bare feet, and hands was beginning to dry, and it was terribly irritating to her skin, but she didn't want to show it - afraid it would be interpreted as a weakness by the boy in front of her who continued to walk (stumbling every once in a while) with a bullet wound in his gut. Something else tugged at her stomach, but the emotion was so foreign, and with her foggy mind, she couldn't label it properly. Deciding to ignore it, Winry nearly let out a yelp as she realized she was actually beginning to get left behind, Edward already a few good meters in front of her and turning a corner.

She broke out into a run, wincing every time her feet would find a shard of glass or an excess of piece of garbage to step on, panting by the time she had reached Edward's back again. He stopped in slight surprise, glancing over his her shoulder to see her wheezing form. The older Elric seemed to relax, and they continued walking for a few more minutes, before they emerged into the comforting familiarness of Winry's neighborhood.

"This is it, right?" he grunted as they came to a stop in front of her apartment building.  
"Y-yeah," she murmured, suddenly filled with dread as she realized all the lights were on in her apartment, even at this late hour. Her grandmother was definitely awake, unless Ling didn't feel like being inconspicuous.

Edward let out a non-committal snort,  
"Come on, then. I have to kick that bastard's ass."  
"R-right."

* * *

_For those of you who think this story will be over soon...-points and laughs- You couldn't be more wrong, dearies!  
_


	29. Chapter 28

**Brief Commentary:  
**Well, I was sick earlier this week and got a free head start on the next chapter of RNFYE, although I was unable to finish it. Today, I threw up. :D Lol. It's a new magical power - whenever I dislike some one, I barf on them. It's like Izumi with her former coughing-up-blood-problem-of-doom. I'm so awesome. I haven't eaten in over twelve hours though, seeing as I skipped lunch today and threw up the two waffles I had for breakfast (there must've been something in those waffles...because I was fine afterwards). But anyway, when I got home I took a three hour nap (3 to 6 PM, lawl), and will be going to bed early tonight. So I figured I should get this finished up quickly. Btw, if you've found _the website_, PM me or post in the guest book. ;D Vote on the poll, too! 'Cause then I'ma love you forever. ;3 (POSTED A DAY LATE DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES)

_A ty kim?  
Kim dla mnie móglbys byc?  
Moze czyms w dotyku milym  
Tak jak plusz?_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Eight_

Winry had opened the door to her apartment to find a peculiar crowd sitting idly by in the kitchen/family room, two of the people there looking incredibly anxious (and not to mention extremely pissed off), while the other four (including the only animal in the vicinity) were looking incredibly bored, if not content.

Ling and Ranfan sat side-by-side on their bloody couch, the latter of the two with a small smile on her face and the former with a satisfied grin playing on his lips, one of his arms draped around the back of the couch. Mei sat on the floor, a small frown on her face and her arms folded across her chest. The miniature panda beside her mimicked the posture. Pinako sat stiffly in a near by arm chair, her expression containing a scowl, while, to Winry's surprise, Alphonse stood against the wall not a few feet away from Mei.

As soon as the door swung open and the two had made their way in (a growl rumbled in Edward's throat as his eyes found Alphonse), all heads turned to face them. The younger Elric made a choking sound as his eyes met his brothers, and he gave him a deadly glare, before turning his attention to Winry, his expression of hatred melting into one of concern at her filthy, slightly blood-caked condition. At the same time, Pinako had given the pair the fiercest glare she was able to muster, and the sudden tension in the air increased by a tenfold.

The three exchange students and the panda were completely oblivious.

"Winry-san, hello! Was Ranfan's marksmanship not _brilliant?_" Ling gushed, the hand that had been behind the couch cushions rising to pat Ranfan on the head. She blushed profusely, lowering her eyes to the floor and muttering modest words that no one could really hear.  
"Um-"  
"Winry, are you okay?" Alphonse strode quickly forward, snatching her away from his elder sibling and pointedly ignoring him as he brought her out of the foyer.  
"I-I think that-"  
"Winry-san," Mei spoke up, "Do you mind if I eat while I'm here? I've been hungry for a while now, and-"  
"But Ranfan's been working on her aim for years, and it paid off so _well!_ It was fitting that she would be the one to finish Scar off, seeing as Mei Chan-san and I were butting heads so often, and-"  
"No, no, I wasn't really...I'm not _that..._well, that's true but-"  
"Winry, do you need anything?"  
"I won't eat much, I promise. All I really need is-"

She couldn't sort out the voices attacking her like hyenas, as she specifically felt two glares boring into her back. One belonged to her grandmother, who had remained silent through all of this banter and chatter, tight-jawed and eyes blazing angrily. The other was from Edward, stonily quiet as he pressed his hand to the bullet wound, his blood hissing almost noiselessly as it dripped onto the tile floor.

Winry winced. There would be hell to pay later...unless they were merciful and the rebuking/yelling would start fairly soon.

Eventually the talking subsided, as the three speakers realized that she wasn't paying them any attention. Ling and Ranfan were able to shrug it off, although Alphonse still looked concerned, as if he was worried that she was suffering A.D.H.D. caused by a hard blow to the head. She only noticed that he had been gripping her forearms rather tightly when he removed his hands, only to make a grab for her wrists to examine her blood-caked palms.

"Is this yours?" he demanded, gesturing towards the dried red flakes coating her skin.  
"Some of it," Winry admitted, still a little dazed.  
"Do you hurt any where?" Alphonse's tone grew sharper.

She absently touched her lips before she shook her head, wet yellow hair releasing a few drops of rain water as the young Rockbell woman moved.

"No, not really. Just skinned my knees, and my palms are a little sore...well, same with my shoulders, but that's okay."

Alphonse sighed, examining her scraped hands before muttering something about getting a wash cloth before he released her wrists. Turning on his heel and passing Edward in silence as he made his way towards the kitchen-portion of the room, it was easy to see how very irritated he felt. His older brother let out a snort as he passed, glancing away to avoid looking at him. The room lapsed into silence, the only sound being the trickle of running water as Alphonse wet a few wash cloths and rummaged through their cabinets, searching for the first-aid kit.

Winry felt the need to some how break the tension in the air, mumbling,  
"Um, we should really get that bullet wound treated, Edward. Baa-chan, I bandaged it and the bullet went through him, so we don't have to, uh...you know, pull it out again."  
Alphonse visibly restrained himself from slamming the cabinet door shut. Her grandmother let out a long exhale, replying calmly,  
"All right, let's fix up the moron, then. I don't want any more blood on the floor - the manager will kill me."  
Her aged gaze flickered towards the bloody couch for a brief second, and she arched an eyebrow.  
"You three," she pointed at the three exchange students. The panda growled somethng. "Four," Pinako corrected herself.  
"Make yourself useful and clean up that couch for me."  
They hesitated briefly, before Pinako barked,  
"That wasn't a suggestion, damn it!"

Winry was surprised to see them quickly do as ordered, Ling and Ranfan jumping off the couch and bowing, a blush on Ranfan's cheeks, before they all turned their attention to the couch and began to speak in hushed voices. The miniature panda turned to give Pinako a glare, but visibly shuddered as she returned the glare with a much higher level of intensity. Eventually, they seemed to have sorted something out, as Mei departed for the bathroom down the hall, muttering something about extra towels.

"'Scuse me?" Edward grumbled, "I'm still bleeding to death here."  
"Doing something useful, for once," Alphonse glared pointedly at him. Edward's gaze was seething as he glared back. Alphonse, predictably, was unfazed.  
"Shut the fuck up, you goddamn sonuvabitch," was the retort.  
"As immature and vocabulary-challenged, I see."  
"I thought I said to shut your fucking mouth."  
Alphonse rolled his eyes, muttering,  
"Idiot."  
Edward narrowed his eyes into an even sharper look, then glanced away from his brother, as if he was sickened to look at him.

Pinako motioned for Winry to fetch the gauze, snapping at Edward to lie down on the floor so they could get this the hell over with. Both obliged, one nervous, the other thoroughly irritated and reluctant. As Alphonse had already gotten out the first aid kit with the intention of using it for Winry, it was easily within reach. Nodding to the younger Elric in a silent apology and thank you, she clamped the metal lid shut and turned back to the bustling scene on the other side of the room.  
She quickly handed her grandmother the kit and nearly whimpered as it was snatched from her hands, the white metal box already open again on the floor and the gauze in the elderly Rockbell woman's hand.

She was not in the mood to be gentle as she tore away the make-shift bandaging job her granddaughter had done earlier, and applied disinfectant and ointment to the bullet wound. Edward visibly flinched every time she pushed too far. He kept any noises from escaping him, however, obviously not wanting to look vulnerable or weak in any possible way in front of his younger brother, despite how much he might loathe him. When Pinako began the process of properly bandaging him in gauze, he couldn't help but flash Alphonse a smirk that read entirely, _Look at me, you damn bastard. I have a fuckin' hole in me and I'm not even complaining about it. I bet you've never even bet shot at in your entire life, asshole._

The medical treatment was almost over as Winry was beckoned over for her fair share of cleaning up. At the very least, Pinako was more gentle as she cleaned off the dried blood from her scratches and from her skin, in the case that the blood was occasionally not hers. A quick spray of disinfectant, a few applied band aids of different sizes, and the tension in the room seemed to lessen by a few degrees, quite inexplicably.

Ling, Ranfan, Mei and the panda were still occupied with the task of cleaning the couch, Pinako choosing, for the moment, to ignore the small puddle of blood on the floor and settling back in one of the chairs. Winry was left with little choice but to sit on the floor, with Edward not too far away and Alphonse back in his position against the wall.

"So, Winry," her grandmother drew out slowly, her hand finding her pipe again as she brought it to her mouth. She inhaled and exhaled loudly. "Would you mind explaining what the _hell _is going on?"

Her gaze dropped to her knees, and she opened her mouth as if that would stimulate a rush of confidence...and not to mention, words.

"It's...it's long..."

"Oh, we have time," was the reassuring tone. It had the opposite effect as Winry found herself lifting her gaze to two waiting glares.

* * *

_Okay, I cheated a little with this chapter...XD I'm sorry. And it ended up being late. -shot- I hope the mafia won't be getting angry any time soon...? Again, this ain't over. Not for a while, anyway.  
_


	30. Chapter 29

**Brief Commentary:  
**Ugh, I'm sorry this is so late...I'm suffering from a major case of writers block and I have a lot of homework. -sigh- Not to mention my final exams are coming up reeeeally fast. Less time to write, and not to mention that this section here (and another chapter or so on) are going to be very boring parts, until we finally have a climax then a bit of resolution. -le sob- I'm sorry...

_You take  
the breath you didn't make,  
What's left, you did forsake,  
Lift me up, my soul's so hollow..._

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Twenty-Nine_

Winry shakily launched into a very-much abridged version of the events of that evening, editing minuscule details; for instance that she had a knife, not a gun, and Scar had been threatening her with a dagger the entire time. After all, knives, while still a potentially lethal weapon, were better than guns. Ling, Ranfan, Mei, and Edward wisely chose not to correct her, only watching on in silence, one of them offering a fictional detail every once in a while so that the event seemed less dangerous than it actually had been. She was angry with Edward for not offering more, however, seeing as he had been with her for half of the entire episode.

Pinako sharply asked about the gunfire she heard; Winry had to fib, explaining that a nervous police officer had been firing his pistol wildly at Scar, and the other officers were concerned he might shoot one of them if they approached and tried to calm him down. He had eventually run out of bullets, and was restrained.

Eventually, Scar's death was mentioned, Ling volunteering himself to explain a slightly edited version of what had actually happened. He came up with the excuse that Ranfan had brought a small gun for safety when they had arrived, and Scar had been charging towards her to try and kill her - she had simply reacted out of fear and shot him in the head. Ranfan seemed mortified by this, but nodded vigorously, mumbling something as she did so. Winry, feeling sympathetic, did her best to back it up.

By the end of the summarization, her grandmother seemed suspicious, Alphonse only extremely concerned (for her), but they appeared to believe the story and no further questions were asked.

Instead, the room lapsed into an uncomfortable silence; the exchange students sitting again on the couch they had finished cleaning not a few minutes earlier. Winry hadn't been paying attention as they did it, but it looked better than it had been even before it was bloodied. She had wanted to ask exactly what they had done, but from the menacing auras swirling around the room, it would be too ridiculous to even consider such a thing.

Instead, she nervously glanced at the clock mounted on the wall to her left, blinking in surprise as she realized the time was 2:18 AM. It had all seemed so much longer...Winry had almost been certain that the sun would rise very soon. Pinako followed her gaze with narrowed eyes, reading the clock before announcing,

"All right, all of you damn kids go home."

The exchange students and the panda exchanged doubtful looks, but obediently shuffled out the door, the rifle in Ranfan's hands held tightly as she passed Pinako. Alphonse, however, was hesitant, his eyes flickering from Winry to his older brother, obvious distrust and suspicion held in his eyes.

"I don't think-"  
"Shut up, they'll be fine. Nothing will happen - they wont try anything while I'm here."  
"But with my br-"  
"Leave, Elric-san. Please."

Pinako ambled over to the door, twisting the knob sharply and offering it open for him. He paused for a moment longer, before giving Winry a look filled with some emotion that she could not place, before following the exchange students outside.

"Well, moron, are you leaving?"  
"For where?"  
"Home, obviously, you dumb ass."  
"Shut your trap, hag. I ain't got a home."  
"Well, then where are you going to stay, y'little shit?"  
"I'll stay here, on the couch," Edward's voice was stonily cold, leaving no room for argument. Still, Pinako continued to press as Winry looked on helplessly.  
"I don't think so," was the growled reply.  
"Baa-chan, why don't we just let him stay - he's still healing from his old wounds and now he has this new one. We can't just put him back on the streets, Baa-chan," she mumbled quietly. Edward glared at her.  
"Don't talk about me as if I'm some stray dog, you damn-"  
"Not another word," Pinako's voice was icy cold. Stiffly, she turned to Winry. "Are you absolutely certain you want this goddamn bastard to live with us?"  
"U-until he gets...better...?" Her answer was hardly a squeak.  
Her grandmother paused, contemplating, before letting out a reluctant sigh and slowly nodding.  
"But_ only_ until he heals entirely," she agreed, glaring pointedly at Edward. He returned the look, then visibly relaxed, shuffling over to the couch and flopping down on it with a wince. There was a mutter of "Stupid," before Pinako ushered Winry off to bed, clearly too angry to do much else than grunt as she did so. Hastily, her granddaughter obeyed, with a single backwards glance at Edward's head before she disappeared down the hallway.

"I swear," Pinako grit her teeth. Edward looked up. "I swear, if you put _one hand_ on that girl, I will personally kill you."  
He snorted and turned away, folding his arms across his chest and crossing his ankles up against the side of the couch. From the slight sweat on his skin (obvious in the lighting), it was easy to tell that he believed her.

As the elderly Rockbell woman began to shuffle out of the kitchen/family room, she allowed a snide remark before she left.

"You know...I noticed, Winry's lips were rather bruised, and she seemed to keep touching them near the end of her explanation. I wonder what that could be all about...?"

She smirked as Edward froze up, visibly tensing on their little green couch.

"Perhaps I should ask. Also...you owe us the money for a new window...we don't appreciate what you did to Winry's room." Pinako knew she wasn't imagining the way he anxiously bit his lower lip, a sense of triumph overriding her previous outrage.

"Good night," she said in a mock-pleasant voice, before making her way into her own room.

* * *

Winry stumbled haphazardly from her room, dressed in a wrinkled school uniform and her hair in obvious disarray. Due to the previous night's circumstances, the blonde-haired adolescent had had little sleep, written as plainly across her face as the heavy bags under her eyes. She hadn't had time to fix anything with make up, as she was already running a bit late.

Pinako looked up from whatever she was making as Winry made her way into the kitchen, looking her granddaughter up and down before speaking aloud.

"Winry, why don't you take the day off? You've gone through a lot recently, and I think you need a break. You haven't done your homework either, anyway."

Winry grimaced as she remembered. She hadn't. Damn.

"Um, is that really okay?" She glanced hungrily at the fried eggs currently sizzling on the pan over the miniature stove. Pinako offered a smile.  
"It's really okay."  
"Oh, well, thanks," Winry let out a sigh of relief, slumping into her chair and allowing her eyes to close. She was so tired...ugh...her eyelids felt so damn heavy at the moment, and she was still starving. It was impossible to remember the last time she had eaten.

"And you say I don't go to school."

She was startled out of her stupor by the sudden comment. Glancing up, her eyes involuntarily swerved towards the couch, widening in surprise as her field of vision landed on Edward. She felt suddenly incredibly guilty; she had completely forgotten he was staying with them...again. Winry swallowed as she noticed the pointed glare on his face.

"Well...I go more than you do, at least," she sniffed. Pinako set her eggs down in front of her, accompanied by a fork and a knife. Absolutely famished, she dug in, barely able to savor the salty, eggy flavor before it was down her throat. A glass of orange juice clinked down by her plate. Half of its contents were gone within a few seconds.

The two others in the room with her looked on with slight impatience and with awe at the sight.

"More eggs, Winry?" her grandmother muttered, rolling her eyes as she moved to fry more, not waiting for a reply. Her granddaughter nodded vigorously, swallowing another bite and reaching again for her glass of orange juice. It was only after two more of the fried breakfast that she declared herself full, slumping backwards in her chair and glancing lazily at the kitchen clock. 8:03 AM. Take that, school schedule. Winry allowed herself a small smirk before standing again, rubbing her eyes with two fingers as she blindly walked in the direction of what she hoped was her room. She let out a small grunt as her hip bumped into the side of the couch, and warily, she removed her fingertips and opened her eyes, not daring to look to her left, where Edward was surely glaring up at her.

She tried again, this time successfully making it to her room without bumping into any more furniture. She didn't need to tell her grandmother she was going to sleep; she was sure Pinako already knew as she twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Stumbling over to her bed, which looked oh-so comfortable at the moment, Winry did not hesitate to climb onto it, still clad in her wrinkled school uniform as she did so.

The previous nights events had been rolling around in her head the entire night, causing painful and frightening nightmares she had woken up from many times. Another reason for her lack of sleep. Winry bit her lip, quickly regretting the decision as the bruised flesh began to throb slightly.

_Did he have to be so rough?_ she thought absent-mindedly, touching her lips again without really realizing it. When it came to the concept of the kiss she had been given...Winry didn't know what to think or feel. Besides the fact that it was a dreadful, awful kiss, and now her lips, her head, and her shoulders hurt to an extremity she didn't want to think about. There was another foreign emotion gnawing at her stomach, nearly driving her to insanity trying to figure out what it was.

But it was hopeless.

_Did he have to be so rough?_

* * *

_There. Done. I never thought I'd say this, but now I can get started on my homework. Yes, I have a lot. And I'm going to cry if I don't get started on it soon. D:  
_


	31. Chapter 30

**Brief Commentary:  
**I haven't been able to spend a lot of time on this - really busy weekend (which rather sucks). But I'm seeing how well I do under pressure. ;P At the moment, I'm fangirling over Soul Eater, so forgive my lack of enthusiasm to write this filler chapter. -sigh- I hate these filler chapters so much...ergh. Well, review if it isn't too ugly, ne?

Side Note: Happy Chapter 30 Day...?! XD

_Give unto me your troubles  
I'll endure your suffering  
Place onto me your burden  
I'll drink your deadly poison_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty_

_A looming figure towered over her crumpled form, shadows filtering out his facial features, the designs on his clothes, the color of his skin...but she knew who he was. A silent cry of desperation was all she could release as he reached for something in his pocket, his body language and stature intimidating as well as threatening. Just as a knife-like shape was visible, there was a loud crack of a gun, and he was suddenly lying on top of her, dead. His blood soaked into her skin and formed a puddle around her, dyeing her yellow hair a crimson red._

_And all she could do was scream, the sound noiseless as it burned in the back of her throat._

Winry's eyes flew open, body coated with sweat and her mind racing with the few fragments of the nightmare she could still remember properly. Oh god...was this ever going to end? She was sick of this...this sleeplessness, and each terrifying dream worse than the previous one. Still rather exhausted, Winry helplessly slumped against her pillow again, cautiously allowing her eyes to drift closed in hopes that her sleep would be peaceful.

_Everything was black and white - everything was inverted. She was alone, floating in black, her body only outlines of white lines contrasting with the empty scenery. Absently, she examined her hands, marveling at the intricate white framing her fingers and her fingernails. She stayed like that for some undetermined amount of time. It could have been second. Minutes. Hours. An eternity._

_But the inverted silence was interrupted._

_An intense pain suddenly burst to life where her heart should be, and she felt her body jerk back and forth. Her limbs spasmed, her mouth twisting into a grimace and her hair whipping into her face. The pain was still there. And she wished very dearly that she could just fall down from the impact, just lie down and suffer. It would be better than trying to stand, at least..._

_When she seemed ready to tumble backwards..._

Winry woke a second time with a start, her chest heaving and her fingers clutching so tightly at her bed sheets that her knuckles were a snowy white. She let out a moan of utter misery, squeezing her eyes shut and drawing the blankets over her head, as if that would provide some form of escape. But it wouldn't. She knew it wouldn't. The nightmares (even though it was only an hour until noon) would still continue, and she would wake up in time to feel two heart beats of terror, before the fear would decrease again.

Unwilling to drift back to sleep, Winry reluctantly climbed out of bed, smoothing her wrinkled skirt as she did so. Still a bit drowsy and absent-minded, she silently groped for the doorknob before twisting it half-heartedly. Pushing the door open, she stepped into the hallway, glancing down towards the kitchen. Ugh...she _really_ didn't feel like confronting Edward.

She blinked as she began to hear a heated argument between her grandmother and the aforementioned boy. Hardly daring to breathe (as sound seemed to carry easily in her apartment), Winry strained her ears to pick up what exactly it was they were arguing over. To improve her sense of hearing, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, subconsciously curling her hands into fists.

"...what are you trying to pull, punk?"  
"...not pulling _anything_, goddammit..."  
"Shut up! You've done...to Winry, haven't you?"  
"Why the hell would I-"  
"Don't try to argue with me!"

She winced at her grandmother's volume level, eyes opening again in puzzlement. What...they were arguing over her?

"I didn't do anything to her!" The reply was screeched in fury.  
"Right, right," Pinako's voice drifted into her ears, dripping with sarcasm. "Then, as I said last night, explain her damn lips!"

Her blue eyes widened as she realized. Was it about the...the... Winry didn't know what to call it. It wasn't a kiss. No. Definitely not. Kisses were meant to be wonderful and shared with some one you loved; not painful and forced from some one you feared. She touched her lips again, face saddening. Why did he do that? He hated her, didn't he?  
Backing up slowly against a wall, Winry slumped to the floor, careful to stay quiet. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she hugged them tightly as she continued to listen.

"I don't fucking know! Maybe she fell or something - I wasn't there the whole time, fucking hag!"  
"You don't get that kind of bruising from _falling down!_ And she had another bruise around her wrist - _again._ Explain _that,_ you pathetic little shit!"  
"I had to pull her out of the way from the gun-"  
His voice halted as he realized his mistake.

Winry felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle in dread. God...now Pinako...now she would know...now she would know how dire the situation really had been. She flinched at her grandmother's tight voice.

"_What?_"  
"From when that...that police guy was firing like a frightened bastard...he...he would've killed us all, so I had...I had to get her and me out of the way," Edward's voice seemed wary as he scrambled for an answer.  
"You expect me to believe that?"  
"Damn...damn straight!"  
"Liar. You all had guns. Didn't you. _Didn't you!?_"

She flinched at the sudden change in volume, cowering alone in the hallway as her grandmother raged. She squeezed back tears, refusing to let out a single noise. They couldn't know she was listening.

"You almost got my granddaughter _killed_, you goddamn _bastard!!_"  
"I didn't do _anything! _I just...I just made sure she was out of his sight, fuck it!"

A pause.

"...why...why the fuck did you bring my granddaughter there in the first place?"  
"She went on her own! Like I said, I didn't come until later!"  
"Liar!"  
"It's the damn truth!"  
"Winry would never-"  
"That bitch went there on her own! If you don't believe me, ask her!"

Winry froze as a shadow fell over her. Looking up, fearfully, her eyes widened in dread as she recognized Edward's shape, his face shadowed as he pointed an accusatory finger at her. _Please don't tell, please don't tell, please don't tell..._ She begged this of him silently, but of course he could not hear as he opened his mouth to finish.

"Because she's right here!"  
"What?"  
Her grandmother's figure joined his.  
"Winry? What the hell...were you listening?"

A slow, reluctant nod.

"I-I'm sorry-"  
"Is it true?" Pinako demanded. "Is it true? Did you go by yourself on purpose? Were you looking to get _killed!?_"  
"N-no! And...and yes...I...I went by myself..." her mouth drifted closed and, ashamed, the yellow-haired teenager buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, but...he's...he's right. I did...I did go."  
She tried to swallow the familiar thickness clogging her throat, attempting to keep salty droplets of shame out of view. Why had she been crying so much recently?  
"Did you have...a gun?" her grandmother's voice quieted. "Did everyone have a gun?"

Winry nodded again, choking. Her throat felt bruised. She felt bruised herself. And she felt remarkably ugly at that moment. She hadn't wanted her grandmother to know...there were some things she didn't need to know.  
Silence took a suffocating hold on the small apartment, each living occupant too wary or frightened to say anything. Several minutes passed, the swirling, conflicting emotions eventually erupting into a loud outburst.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT-"  
"I-I'M _SORRY-_"  
"SHUT THE FUCK-"  
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE A RESPONSIBLE PERSON-"  
"_HER!?_ _RESPONSIBLE!?_ ARE YOU FUCKING _BLIND-_"  
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO CAUSE-"  
"_OF COURSE_ YOU DIDN'T-"  
"WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOU-"

"_I DIDN'T WANT THIS!!_"

She clapped a hand over her mouth, looking up fearfully at her grandmother and Edward. They stared, as if shocked into silence, before Edward let out a growl and turned away, walking back into the kitchen/family room. He disappeared from her field of vision, light from the sun illuminating him, until he was swallowed by it. She could still hear his angry footsteps, and the shifting of material as he flopped down onto the couch.

Winry's gaze traveled slowly to her grandmother, who still stood. She suddenly seemed much more tired, much more older. Pinako stepped forward, opening her mouth to say something, then closing again. The two women stared noiselessly at one another, one weary, and one full of trepidation. Winry tensed herself, ready to be harshly scolded and punished, yelled at and restricted from something (although she wasn't sure what that something might be), slapped or deprived of meals.

But as the minutes dragged on, nothing happened. Pinako had still kept silent, eyes tracing over each and every one of her features. Eventually, the elderly woman released a long sigh, before lowering her voice as she spoke. Her tone was unnaturally soft and pained as she asked,

"Winry, what has he done to you?"

"What?" she whispered, eyes blinking in confusion.  
"You know what I'm talking about," she shook her head in agitation. "What did that pathetic little shit do to you? You aren't Winry anymore. I don't know what you are."  
The young Rockbell woman found that she couldn't reply.  
"Would you have charged out to meet a mass murderer with a gun a few months ago? Would you?"  
Winry stared at her knees, shame-faced. A gradual shake of the head.  
"Would you risk your life a few months ago? Just to...god...I don't know. What else have you been doing that I don't know about? Lots of things?"  
No answer.  
"Damn it, Winry!" Pinako gritted her teeth. "Then explain the reason your lips are so bruised!"

She stared up at her, too afraid to speak, and her grandmother was shocked by the confusion and utter helplessness she saw there.

"I don't...I don't know what he did...Baa-chan...I just..."

Winry shook her head and stood, glancing apologetically at Pinako before she re-entered her room, closing the door behind herself and locking it.

_Click._

Nothing was the same any more.

* * *

_DONE! YUS! Now I have to get started on my history project. --;; Ew. Next week, maybe? (BTW, the lyrics to the songs I put in the Brief Commentary? Those are recommendations for what you should listen to when reading the chapter...usually.)  
_


	32. Chapter 31

**Brief Commentary:  
**Now that school's out (HORAH!), I realize that I've missed RNFYE. :D Yup yup yup...super glad the next chapter of FMA came out - I'm right back into the obsession now - ED/WIN FLUFF GALORE ALONG WITH -OMGSHIT- AL IN DANGER. D: -le shot- I'm so glad that these scantalated chapters always come out around the thirteenth or fourteenth of each month - the next chapter will then come out and be translated, therefore put on onemanga, on my birthday! How's that for a birthday present? -feels a new blossoming love for FMA- Oh my...-giggle- Er...review, eh? :D

_ So, let go, let go  
Jump in  
Oh well, what you waiting for?  
It's all right  
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-One_

Time passed slowly yet quickly in the Rockbell household. Winry went back to school as usual, only slightly surprised to find that Ling and Ranfan would be returning to their own country once again. While fairly disappointed, she wished them well and, when they left, she found that she didn't miss them nearly as much as she thought she might've. But, unfortunately, she felt incapable of feeling anything of the sort, the argument she had had with her grandmother setting some kind of off switch on her emotions. Paninya was hardly good company anymore - the dark-skinned young woman was always either depressed or angry, and Winry simply couldn't keep up.

So they eventually stopped talking.

Alphonse attempted to speak to her at least once a day, but she could tell that he was beginning to feel rather hopeless about the whole thing, and had started to favor Mei's company more than hers. It was quite understandable. Mei, an endless source of happiness and energy, was now Winry's complete opposite, as the blonde girl barely spoke more than in monotone noises or short, two or one-word answers, keeping her head low and her lips pressed tightly together.

She found that she didn't mind this state of simply not caring, however. Edward no longer bothered her, even with his barbed tongue and the glares he gave her, and Winry couldn't even manage to feel any amount of guilt regarding her grandmother. Pinako had also lapsed into some kind of stupor, although she still minded enough to make meals and treat Edward's injuries while Winry was away at school. The two women had barely spoken a word to one another since their mishap, and the both of them knew they weren't about to. No sense in ruining a numb kind of peace that would keep them from getting angry or upset. No sense in caring anymore, really.

Winry was changing some of Edward's bandages when he chose to address it. Pulling on a section of her hair that had slipped from its bun, he let out a grunt to help receive some kind of attention. She glanced at him, a silent question in her eyes.  
_What?  
_

He appeared suddenly uncomfortable, but, despite that, he pushed forward anyway, as blunt as ever.

"Why the fuck are you and the old bat walking around like fuckin' zombies?"

Winry blinked, as if confused.

"Sorry, what?"  
"Zombies, you know! The...what's-it...the undead, right," he shifted on the couch, as if that would ease his discomfort.  
"What about them?" she went back to carefully peeling the bandage from an old, infected wound on one of his arms.  
He let out an exasperated sigh.  
"You haven't fucking noticed? God...you're all acting just like 'em."  
"...really..." Winry had noticed, but she wasn't about to say anything. She removed the remainder of the dirty material, picking up the roll of bandages and beginning to unwind it to a reasonable length.  
"Yeah, really," he growled, "it's creepy as shit. Stop it."  
"Sure," she had already tuned him out, quickly dabbing the wound with ointment before re-applying the second bandage. She gave his shoulder a half-hearted smack as she stood, scooting the medical supplies with her foot towards a chair facing the couch. Already feeling tired, she slumped down in said chair, nimbly avoiding the first-aid kit as she did so. She felt Edward's piercing gaze boring into her skull, but Winry found she couldn't care less.

"You're really different, huh..."

She barely caught the words coming out of his mouth, and raised her head to shoot him a slightly curious glance. Not to her surprise, he merely ignored her and went to staring at the apartment's ceiling.

* * *

The situation between Winry and her grandmother went from bad to worse. The blonde adolescent came home later, spoke even less, and always went straight back to her room after changing bandages or eating a meal. She didn't notice the days growing longer, and the approach of the end of the school year. All she knew was to eat, sleep, go to school, change Edward's bandages, and study. Every once in a while, she might hear Pinako mumble to Edward something about "preparing for next year," as high school entrance exams for new students would occur at the end of summer break. However, the boy did nothing but shrug her off, grumbling about how he didn't need to go to school in order to survive.

Oddly, Pinako had not found it in herself to argue. Winry was slightly disturbed by this, as education was one of the most important things to her grandmother, but eventually let it pass without comment or complaint. The tension between the two had remained thick, even over the passing of time, and neither was tempted to ask about the changes in the others' behavior. Edward only seemed irritated with them and kept to himself, as usual, so the apartment remained abnormally quiet, maintaining some form of peace.

Winry was genuinely surprised to find that the last day of school was only a week away, after catching a loud conversation between a couple of boys in her first class. A little concerned about what she should do with herself during the summer break, she eventually came to the conclusion that she should try getting a job. She was old enough to at least work part time, and it would be useful to have extra money lying around. She made a mental note to take a look at the newspaper once she returned home.

Startled out of her thoughts by the dismissal bell, Winry jerked to attention, gathering her materials and walking out of the room, bypassing a solemn Alphonse as she went. She missed the concerned look he shared with Mei, their eyes turning to follow her disappearing, before they, too, left to go home.

As she was entering her combination into her locker, Winry twitched at the sudden sound of Alphonse's voice.

"Winry?" He sounded unusually timid.

She turned to look at him without answering, almost moved by the distressed expression the younger Elric wore.

"Has my brother done something to you? You've...you've changed," he admitted, bowing his head slightly. Winry dryly wondered to herself why those lines sounded so familiar.

"No," she said quietly, refocusing her attention to opening her locker.  
"No?" Alphonse seemed surprised that she had actually responded verbally.  
"No, he hasn't," Winry's voice was flat as she collected the notably fewer books and materials she had to take home.  
"...please, don't lie to me," he sighed, circling his hand around her wrist as if to keep her anchored there. She tugged it away from him, ignoring the saddened look he gained at the rejection of his touch...or something. Winry couldn't tell exactly, and she didn't really care.  
"I'm not lying. It's the truth," she murmured coolly, adding at the last minute, "Al."  
"No, it's not," his sad face was beginning to crease in irritation. "Stop lying! You might not care about yourself now, but many others do, you know."  
"Name five."  
"Well, I do, and Mei-chan, and Pinako-san, and Paninya..." he trailed off as he realized Paninya was too busy being concerned about her own problems to focus on Winry's. Alphonse sighed again. "Point taken, but Winry..."  
"I have to go home," she said softly, closing her locker with a gentle _click_ and brushing past him to leave.

She expertly avoided his hand as he tried to catch her by the arm again, and walked with large strides to reach the warm outdoors. Too distracted to appreciate the slightly high temperatures and the clear sky, Winry sub-consciously made her away over to the bike rack, unchaining her bike and pulling it out.

Intentionally veering off in the direction of the library instead of her home, the time it took her to get there was moderate, as the traffic flow had not worsened to its peak. Re-chaining her bike to the library's rack, she casually slung her book bag over her shoulder as she entered, nodding to the librarian sitting at the front desk with a small, fake smile.

"Hello, Winry," she smiled back. Winry nodded, accustomed to the greeting, as she had become a regular; she came in almost every day to study and do her homework, preferring to do it there than at home. No questions were ever asked, and she appreciated that. Finding an empty table near the encyclopedias, Winry did not hesitate to plop herself into a chair, marveling silently at how comfortable the cushion was. Pulling out her needed spirals and textbooks, she diligently set to work, taking as much time as she pleased.

She barely noticed the turning of the clock's hands as she worked, flipping through the long assignments and completing them accordingly. Even taking the time to make sure each response and answer was acceptable or correct, Winry finished three hours after she had arrived. Carefully tucking the materials back into her book bag, Winry hoisted it back over her shoulder and strode quietly over to the 'Teen Fiction' section, wondering if she might find anything worth reading.

_Tragedies of the Soul, One Second Left, Only Beautiful, Secret of the Spider, Differing Tides_...Winry silently read the titles of the books she glimpsed as she passed through the rows, none of them catching her interest or curiosity. Soon she found herself wandering out of the 'Teen Fiction' and into the 'Children's Books,' which held a few scatted five and six year olds, a three year old or two; each accompanied by their respective parents. Nodding politely to each person she walked by, a book that had been discarded to the floor caught her attention.

_The Cat_, it was titled.

Picking it up, Winry moved to sit in one of the diminutive chairs, opening the large picture book to the first page. It was simple, obviously, as it was meant for children, and she felt a bit silly reading it. But she decided she didn't mind if she looked foolish, and proceeded on.

'I found a cat. He was dirty and hungry, so I brought him home. I gave him food. I gave him a bath. Even when he wasn't hungry anymore, and he was clean, he didn't like me. The cat ran away. I missed him. But I found him again. He was even hungrier and dirtier. So I took care of him. He stayed longer than before, but he ran away again. I miss him. I hope I see the cat again.'

Winry didn't notice how the people around her began to filter out into the evening air, checking out a few books as they left for home. It was to her embarrassment that a librarian had to come and shake her to remind her, kindly, that it was closing time and she needed to leave. Nodding, Winry set the book down on the little table, and obediently walked outside. She looked back to the library, slightly curious as to why the picture book had seemed so familiar. Shaking her head, Winry hugged herself as a cool wind battered at her clothes, reluctant to go over to her bike.

She really didn't want to go home.

* * *

_I'm so sorry that this is another filler. XD But it's a little longer than usual..._


	33. Chapter 32

**Brief Commentary:  
**Well, here's for chapter thirty-two...I'm hoping to speed time up a bit and start towards the climax more. Graah, this is so frustrating. Eight more plot points to go until I can scream "I'm DONE!" How long will this take...? Maybe if I'm lucky I can finish it by the end of the summer...although extremely soon I will be utterly computer-less, as I'm using my mom's laptop, mainly, and it actually is the property of the company she used to work for, so we have to return it...WHEN ARE WE GETTING THE WINDOWS XP!? DEAR GOD, TELL MEEEEEE!!

_And this is how it looks when  
I'm standing on the edge  
And this is how I break apart  
when I finally hit the ground_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-Two_

The period of silence continued even after the end of the school year, which promptly finished without much celebration on the school's part. The majority of the teen population begged to differ, although the select group of adolescents (namely Winry, Alphonse, Paninya, and Mei Chan) could not care less.

Mei had been reluctant to return to her country with Ling and Ranfan, as she (to her utter humiliation) took little part in the assassination of Scar. Remaining in the small apartment she rented, Mei was often spotted alongside Alphonse; this took a long period of reluctant acceptance from the Alphonse Fan Girls. Winry had honestly not noticed too much.

Paninya had stayed anti-social and stand off-ish, completely out of character from her usual sunny personality. This was cause for concern for, unfortunately, very few people, as most of her companions had either sunk into their own sort of depression or had given up on any return of her former outlook.

The situation had become grim and stressful, and no one was willing or able to address it. It was something to be very worried about, especially for those involved in it, but those who were had decidedly pushed the issue to the back of their minds, allowing it to grow steadily worse and cause for further isolation.

Foremost in Winry's mind was the issue of her job; she worked as a waitress at a diner located within a strip mall; a fairly busy place that kept her on her toes.  
Alphonse spent most of his time with Mei, and vise versa, each able to find a pleasant sort of distraction in the other.  
Paninya chose to remain holed up in her house, ignoring her mothers pleas for her to _please_ eat something, and refusing to speak with anyone who would so request.  
Edward, who knew little of anything, kept unusually quiet, and his insults or smart remarks were less and less frequent.  
Pinako, in the same rut as he was, kept to herself, did not bark as much, and only intervened in his and Winry's lives to remind them of dinner, or to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

It was a Sunday, and Winry had been able to get off of work a little earlier than usual. Disappointed to find that she had nothing else to do, she reluctantly made her way home. Her waitress uniform was stuffed in a little plastic bag as she walked home in a simple t-shirt and shorts, flip-flops clapping against the cement. The uniform was a bit on the skimpy side, but Winry found she couldn't honestly care.  
Slowly making her way up the apartment building stairs, she took her time in arriving at their door, staring at the numbers there without really seeing them. She stood on the door mat for a while, before reminding herself to actually go inside. Opening the door, she pushed it open and stepped into the small foyer, eyes immediately locking on a new presence in the kitchen/living room.

To her shock, it was Alphonse, for once unaccompanied by Mei, and sitting directly across from Edward. Neither was looking at the other, and they both seemed extremely irritated. She was faintly surprised they weren't beating each other bloody yet, or that they hadn't done so already. Both slowly turned their heads to glare up at her, one balefully and the other with much irritation.

"Winry," Alphonse murmured softly, tearing his gaze from her to look at his hands, dropped in his lap. "My...brother and I would like to speak with you, if you don't mind..."

She nodded slowly, placing her uniform on the kitchen table before shuffling over to an empty chair. Quietly sitting, she glanced over at the younger Elric, waiting for him to emphasize what he had addressed. He cleared his throat, and opened his mouth to speak, before Winry interrupted with something she had only just remembered.

"Where...where is my grandmother?"

Alphonse glanced at Edward, who gave him a look that read _Don't ask me, asshole_, before shrugging helplessly,

"She went out, something about groceries...?"

Winry lowered her gaze and nodded again, signaling with her hand for him to continue.

"Oh, well...I had been thinking about this for a while...but, my _Nii-san_ and I decided this would be a better arrangement..." he emphasized "Nii-san" with a bitter, cold tone, "We believe it would be more convenient if...he moved back in with me. After his complete return to good health, of course."

He ended his short dialogue with a half-hearted sneer. Edward allowed a warning growl to rumble in the back of his throat as he gave his younger brother a deadly glare. Winry stared blankly at them, eyes slowly shifting back and forth from each brother before she gave another nod.

"...that's fine..." she said softly. "Is that all?"

Their faces showed some shock, as if they had expected a vehement protest from her. She continued to disappoint them as she calmly stood again and moved towards the more kitchen-like area.

"I know Edward didn't offer you anything, Al, but would you like something to drink...? Are you hungry at all?" Winry's voice remained quiet as she ducked down to open the refrigerator and look inside.

"Ah, um, that would be great, Winry..." Alphonse took on a careful, weary tone, as if he were treading on eggshells.

"We have tea, coffee, orange juice, some soda, milk," she said blandly, "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

"Uh, no, I'm not, but thank you," it was obvious he was scrambling for words. Edward glanced at him briefly before rolling his eyes. Alphonse ignored him. "Could I have a mug of coffee, Winry?"

"Sure," came the dull reply.

"Get me some tea," was the blunt add-on from Edward.

"M'kay."

The older Elric ignored the heated glare from Alphonse, instead yawning and leaning back against the couch. Crossing his arms and his legs, he allowed his head to slump over. It was apparent that he was feeling nonchalant about this, although a bit irritated and reluctant from the way he kept glancing from Alphonse to Winry out of the corner of his eye.

She returned shortly, the coffee and tea in hand as she set them down on the side tables by the recipients. The room launched into further silence as the brothers took quiet sips, all eyes traveling around the room in some vain way to escape the awkward predicament. The insistent ticking of the clock seemed to mock them, telling them that time was passing - had passed - and nothing was happening, no one was doing anything.

Finally, Alphonse stood, setting down the mug of coffee and clearing his throat to attract the other two's attention. He hadn't needed to, really; as soon as he had risen out of his chair their eyes had snapped to him.

"Well, I'll be leaving. Please, Winry, do call when he's," here he grimaced, turning to glare at Edward, "completely healthy. I imagine he won't take long to get his things together, seeing as all of his belongings are still at the _house._"

His lip briefly curled, before he sighed and straightened himself.

"Good bye, Winry..._Nii-san_."

"Good bye, Al," she said softly, already starting towards the coffee mug to dump the remaining contents into the kitchen sink. "Take care."

Edward said nothing, closing his eyes to smother an angry glare at his younger brother. Instead, a few of his fingers twitched, and his toes curled ever so slightly.

"You, too," the younger Elric replied, and then he was gone, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Thank god," Edward exhaled, sitting up from his lazy position on the couch to prop his elbows on his thighs. "I was wondering if that goddamn prick would never leave."

Winry chose to say nothing, gesturing towards the tea in a silent question. _Are you done with that?_

"Eh? Uh, yeah," he shrugged, leaning his head onto one of his palms as he glanced out the window; Alphonse's car was already pulling away. "Damn brat..."

She pretended not to hear him as she poured the remaining tea down the drain, rinsing out the cup then placing it in the sink to wash later. Wiping her slightly wet hands on a dish towel, she turned her attention back to Edward and, thankfully, the few bandages he still retained. She pointed to one on his shoulder, and he quickly realized what she meant.

"Oh, yeah, the old hag changed it before she left," he told her nonchalantly, "it's gonna be fine for another five hours, she said."

Winry nodded.

"I'm going to go read, if that's okay," she muttered. He shrugged, a sign that he didn't really care.

"Go ahead."

As she made her way into her room, locking the door behind her, Winry allowed herself to slump down onto her bed, vaguely wondering what she would read. It felt like she had read everything already...she lifted her head to glance around the room, eyes spotting a small pile of library books that she had forgotten to look at. They would likely be due soon.

Reaching for the one on top, Winry was just about to open up the cover when she realized she was probably going to miss Edward when he left. She flinched at the almost foreign prick of sadness at her stomach. There would be a gap once he left, she knew; an empty void where the cursing, rude distraction should have been. Winry had to admit, it was nice how much time she could take up, checking and changing his bandages, making meals for him on the occasion that Pinako wasn't around to do so. Even listening to him grumble about something under his breath while she pretended to do something else helped pass the time, and she became even more distracted when, on a rare chance, she would see Edward from an angle that made him look handsome, god-like, even, when the sun lit up his golden hair and his eyes flashed at her.

But then it would be ruined when he snapped at her, asking what the hell she thought she was looking at and that she should mind her own business.

Yes, she would miss him. The prick in her stomach grew a little more painful.

She began to read so that she could forget about it.

But the dam had a crack now.

* * *

_I. COULD. NOT. THINK. OF. ANYTHING. TO. WRITE. FOR. THIS. DAMN. CHAPTER. D: Sorry.  
_


	34. Chapter 33

**Brief Commentary:**  
asdfghjkl I'm sorry I haven't been updatiiiing...-is sad- I wish I wasn't so preoccupied with other manga - I even forgot that the next volume of FMA will be released soon (I only remembered yesterday morning). D: I'm so awful. But I will renew my efforts to update RNFYE, no matter how boring it gets! I will overcome! ...and, eh, mind a review? :)

-hums Summer Overture by Clint Mansell-

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-Three_

Another week or so passed before it was determined that Edward had been restored to full health. He certainly looked it, as his once ratty hair contained more color, was thicker, straighter. His eyes, for once, were unclouded by illness or pain, instead sharp and focused. His skin, while marked every once and a while with a frightening scar, was free of any type of wound, and his clothes had been replaced (thanks to Alphonse, who had dropped by a few days later to do so). Instead of his filthy pair of jeans and Winry's father's old shirt, he wore clothes that fit the hot summer season; namely, a pair of beige colored cargo shorts, and a black t-shirt sporting a logo neither of them could recognize. If Winry hadn't spent so much time around him, she would not have known who he was.

Eventually, the day arrived when Edward would be moving back in with his brother, and his mood was at its foulest. It was impossible to remember how on earth Winry had gotten him out of the door and out to the bus stop, and eventually onto the bus. Pinako was out grocery shopping again, so it was up to her to do the honors.

Presently, she was standing next to him, all the seats having been taken up. He was clenching one of the offered poles with one hand, his knuckles a bright white as he ground his teeth. With the other hand, he was subtly holding on to Winry's denim jacket, which was more for show than for warmth, as it was a comfortable seventy-five degrees farenheit outside. She, meanwhile, stood silently beside him, leaning slightly into his touch for a bit of balance, eyes blank and staring straight ahead. Only a few people on the bus were speaking, and it was in small murmurs.

It was with great relief when they finally got off, starting towards the street where Alphonse's mansion was located. The mansion itself was relatively hard to miss, as it was perched on top of a large hill, overlooking the other buildings near by. After a few minutes of trekking, they managed to approach the main gate, pausing to inform the security system of their presence. Pressing a small green button on one of the gate's columns, she waited for a security guard to speak.

"_Who is this?_" He sounded as though he were in a rotten mood.

"This is Winry Rockbell and Edward Elric. We're here to visit Alphonse...?"

The man paused.

"_Edward Elric-san?_"

"Yes, I'm here," Edward growled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"_...You're back, then?_"

"Goddammit, didn't my worthless brother tell you anything? Of course I'm fucking back!" he snapped at the security guard.

"_...er, I see. In that case, please go on in. And, uh...Rockbell-san, yeah, she can go, too._"

With a small _clang_, the gates slowly retracted, Edward hurriedly leading the way. Winry followed, realizing with a small bit of wariness that it would have been easier to travel by car - the drive way was enormous, and only made the mansion seem bigger. The walk itself took a good seven minutes before they made it to the front door, which was automatically opened by a waiting butler. He arched an eyebrow at their slightly sweaty and out-of-breath condition, eyes lingering a moment longer on Edward, but he said nothing and instead lead them away to where ever Alphonse was.

They breezed past a room where Winry thought she glimpsed a dark-haired man with an eyepatch, an old name Paninya had used popping up again as she did so. _Bradley-san...?_ But the thought was soon forgotten as the blonde adolescent realized she was being left behind. She quickened her pace and soon found herself at Edward's side again, ignoring the eyeroll he sent her as she briefly took in some of the mansion's extravegant interior.

Another fourty-five seconds of walking in silence passed before the butler bowed slightly to them and opened a door, quietly announcing Winry and Edward's presence before departing.

A soft "come in," was heard, and they stepped inside, the older Elric much more reluctant to do so.

There sat Alphonse, in a pair of jean shorts and a polo shirt, looking completely comfortable on the fancy couch he sat on. Inviting them to take a seat opposite him, he focused his attention completely on Winry as he began to speak.

"Well, I appreciate you coming out here with him, Winry," he offered a small, polite smile. "I understand my _Nii-san_ is not very good company. I trust he is back to complete health?"

Winry nodded.

"He didn't have anything to bring," she said, "So he came as he was. I did also. I hope that's all right."

Alphonse seemed to brighten slightly at her longer sentences, quickly nodding.

"Oh, that's fine. When he ran aw- I mean, when he _left_," he shot Edward a meaningful glare, "he didn't take anything but food from one of the kitchens."

She blinked at the phrase "one of," but did not voice her small feeling of curiosity.

"I see."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, before the younger Elric cleared his throat.

"Well, thanks again for coming with Nii-san," he nodded. "I'll let you go home now, Winry; and _he_ should know where his room is," he said, shrugging and standing up. "I'll have someone escort you out."

"Thank you," she mumbled, but Alphonse had already left the room, the door cracked open so that she could follow. She too, got up to leave, stopping at a sudden tug on her denim jacket. Glancing down at Edward, she was slightly surprised at the pout-like scowl on his face.

"Hey," he glared hard at her, releasing his hold on the material. "Don't go out to kill yourself when I'm not around, okay? I'm not always going to be able to save your sorry ass."

She nodded, almost feeling a smile tug at her lips. Almost. Her stomach twitched, and the muscles around her mouth suddenly ached, and she wanted to smile at him, but Winry found she could not bring herself to. So instead, she blinked at him, shrugged her shoulders, and walked out of the room.

The butler was already waiting for her in the hallway, and silently began to show her the way out. She nodded to herself, intending to thank him, but the words wouldn't come to her tongue, so she decided against it. Besides, the prick that had begun in her stomach the week previous was back, and even more distracting and painful this time. Winry didn't like it, how it threatened to bring back her sadness, threatened to unlock the tight hold she had on all of her emotions, and let them flood her and drown her senses.

She decided to ignore it as the two of them walked on in silence. It was only a few minutes later that they had reached the double front doors, the butler opening it for her and gesturing for her to leave. After a pause, she nodded at him and did as directed, vaguely wondering if she would ever come back to the mansion.

The walk down the immense driveway was lonely, but Winry tried not to think so. She focused her attention on combing her fingers through her hair, which she had left down that day, instead of in its usual ponytail or bun. A light breeze splayed the loose strands across her face, and she brushed them away, trying to comb out a few tangles that had developed. This method of ignoring her "loneliness" did not last very long, as brushing her hair manually soon became a very dull thing to do.

Despite her own vehement protests, she found herself wishing she was with Edward again. His presence was so very distracting, and yet it was so very stable, and its familiarity was comforting. The prick in her stomach developed into a little ache, and Winry attempted to shove her upsetting thoughts aside. She didn't _want_ to feel anything, damn it!

With a small scowl, she realized she was getting angry - this wasn't good. Her solid indifference and lack of emotion was starting to leave her - she much preferred that state of mind, she really did...

Wrapped up in her confusing thoughts, Winry hardly noticed when she passed through the gates and when they swung shut behind her, sending a hot gust of summer air at her back. She kept walking forward until she realized she was about to miss the bus stop, and quickly made her way down the correct street that would lead to it. No sense in having to wait another three hours before it arrived a second time, if she ended up missing it.

Fortunately, she did not, and to Winry's relief, there were significantly less people on this particular bus. Sitting down, she left herself to stare out the glass window, watching the city scenary pass without really seeing it. She jerked a little at each stop the bus made, half-expecting it to be hers, but each time stilled herself when she realized that, no, this area had different streets, a different building, or that this area had a fountain there, and no apartment buildings in sight.

Another fifteen minutes of this passed before the bus squeaked to a halt in front of her stop, Winry slowly rising from her seat to leave, failing to notice a lingering pair of eyes on her as she exited the large vehicle.

She reached her apartment building within a few minutes of getting off of the bus, clambering half-heartedly up the stairs as she began to wish she lived somewhere else, somewhere less depressing. Frowning at herself, Winry reached into her pocket for the keys, unlocking the door with practiced effenciency. Tugging the key out of the keyhole, she proceeded to open the door and glanced inside, wondering if Pinako had come home yet. Not to her surprise, she had, and sat on the couch facing her.

"So," Pinako said quietly, pausing to light her pipe, "He's gone, then?"

"Yes," Winry answered, closing the door behind her. "What time is it?"

"3:17," her grandmother glanced at the small clock that hung in the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"No, thanks," Winry shook her head, "I'll be in my room."

"Fine."

As soon as she had closed her bedroom door behind herself, Winry felt the small ache grow a bit bigger, and froze in shock as something warm made its way down her cheeks. Skirting past her bed to look in her mirror, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of tears trickling down her face.

The crack had only gotten bigger.

* * *

_My writing style has gotten worse. I just know it has. And this story sucks, doesn't it?  
_


	35. Chapter 34

**Brief Commentary:**  
Woo next chapter...sorry, I'm skipping ahead for this one as I have nothing better to do and I can't think of any good fillers. XDD Err, anyway, here's chapter 34 for you all (this is moving so very slowly...). And holy shit, before I forget, thanks everyone for the 200+ reviews! Love you everybody! While I might not be responding as often as I used to, I'm certainly reading them all! I won't ask for any more for now because that would just make me a silly bitch. :)

_Yes, I got a Black Magic Woman,  
She's got me so blind I can't see;  
But she's a Black Magic Woman and  
she's trying to make a devil out of me. _

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-Four_

The summer vacation passed more quickly than Winry had realized, for soon Pinako quietly approached her announcing the need for a few things for the upcoming school year. She had only just finished obtaining the last item on her grandmother's supplied list when she found that it was two days until the start of the first semester. In the mean time, she slept little, half because she found she was never truly tired, and half because of emotions she did not particularly want to acknowledge that were swirling around in her stomach.

It was with some reluctance that Winry pulled herself out from under the sheets, relatively early in the morning, to dust off her school uniform and put it on. After dragging herself into the bathroom, Winry soon fell back into her old schedule of washing her face, brushing her hair, and making her way downstairs for breakfast. She found some semblance of relief well up as she caught the smell of Pinako cooking something, and a tiny, tentative corner of her mind wondered if things might be returning to normal. The thought was squashed, Winry reminding herself of how nice it was to be free of care, concern, and her emotions in general.

Soon after sitting down at the small table in the kitchen/living room, she was presented with a basic meal of bacon and eggs; Winry wasn't about to complain or even speak at all as she rapidly consumed her food. It was finished in a matter of minutes, the blonde already reaching for her heavy, slightly over-stuffed book bag and slinging it over her shoulder, making her way towards the front door. She felt her grandmother's gaze on her back as she left, but she chose to ignore it in favor of subconsciously counting how many steps there were on the staircase as she made her way down.

The bike was miraculously still in rather good shape after a summer vacation of absent neglect, Winry feeling only a small need to pump up the tires again before she would set off. A small wriggling in her stomach reminded her that she hadn't ridden her bike in a while, and her reflexes and movements on it weren't as sure as they had been. Winry set herself to make more cautious decisions as she avoided pedestrians and cars alike, absently wondering if the ride to school had always taken so long.

As she had half-heartedly hoped, she made it to school early, chaining the bike almost mechanically to one of the bike racks, adjusting the bag on her shoulder again, and walking inside. From the letters received in the mail, everything was almost the same as last year, the only difference being the learning material, the grade level, and the students' schedules. Winry's feet took her to her locker on their own, its condition very much the same as she had left it.

After such a long period of disuse, her fingers felt awkward on the plastic tumbler, even as the familiar combination flowed back to the front of her mind with relative ease. It took her two tries, but eventually her locker door swung open and she allowed her bookbag to drop inside with a dull _thunk_. Digging out her schedule, Winry smoothed out the slightly crinkled piece of paper and used one of the magnets she had borrowed from their refrigerator to post it on the interior of her locker for reference.

She proceeded to draw out her English binder, as that would be the first subject to begin the day with. Sticking a slightly chewed pencil into the binder's pocket, she swung the locker door shut, turning and closing it more firmly with the heel of her shoe. Winry stepped forward, wondering if it would be worth her time to go to class early. Before she was able to confirm the thought, her face smacked into the material of a shirt and the arm behind it. She opened her mouth to mumble a quick "Sorry," but a glance at who she had accidently bumped into closed it again in surprise.

Her shocked blue eyes met irritated golden ones, and Winry nearly jumped backwards as she realized fully who was standing in front of her.

It was none other than Edward Elric, who looked especially pissed off, Alphonse a few feet behind him apologizing to other disgruntled-looking students who the elder brother seemed to have jostled as well. It was after a few seconds of silence that he sneered at her and waved a hand in front of her face.

"Good morning, _Rockbell-san_," he said, voice mocking. "How are you on this fine day?"

Winry said nothing, although her brow furrowed and she felt her teeth chew into her bottom lip.

"I see, I see," Edward continued, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I get it, it's a real shock to see me. You must've missed me so much, huh? Geez, not even a 'hi,' goddamn. Are you still being a zombie? Fuck, bet you are. I'll be avoiding you, then. I don't talk to dead people, sorry."

And then he sauntered off, not seeming to notice the strange looks he was getting from the other students. Winry stared after him, then turned her attention back to Alphonse, who was a little red in the face.

"Wow, huh?" he sighed, shoving his bangs out of his face in exasperation. "He didn't want to come at all, at first, but some how we talked him into it...and he's causing such a ruckus, and class hasn't even started yet..."

He looked startled at the small smile that had found its way onto Winry's lips.

"...he'll be popular..."

"I'm afraid so."

* * *

"Edward-san, will you kindly shut up?"

Winry glanced behind her, eyes focusing on the elder of the two brothers, who was complaining under his breath (very loudly) about how stupid and pointless Roy Mustang's current subject, World History, was. Edward pointedly ignored him, defying the general school rules further by propping his feet onto his desk. Mustang sighed and glanced at Hawkeye, ever ready with her water pistol. They exchanged some uninterpretable look, and with a flash of her hand, Riza Hawkeye successfully landed a particularly pressured shot smack in the middle of Edward's forehead.

He nearly toppled out of his chair, eyes slightly wide with shock. Clearly, he (as had the rest of the class) assumed that the water gun in Hawkeye's hand was exclusively meant for Mustang, and not for students. Angrily wiping the the water from his face, he glared at anyone who had dared to even smile, before righting himself again.

"May I ask what the hell that was for?" the older Elric snapped.

"Misbehaved students must be punished accordingly," Roy Mustang glared at him. "If you don't shut up, I'm afraid it will only get worse, and you will be the object of great amusement for the next few weeks."

"Shut the hell up, bastard," he bit back, but eventually settled down after another round of "persuasion."

There was little progress made in that particular class, needless to say. After it drew to an awkward close (Edward receiving another shot in the back on the way out), Winry searched for Alphonse, finding him speaking to Mei Chan at his locker.

"Hey, Al..."

He turned, a little surprised at the sound of her voice. Mei chose this moment to look for something in her shoulder bag.

"Winry? Something wrong?"

"...why is he...in our class?"

It was an unspoken agreement on who 'he' was.

"Ah, you see, I taught him all the material he missed since he ran away, and since there's a year difference in our ages, he's at our grade level - so I had him held back a year."

"...how did you teach...?"

From the strange look Alphonse gave her, Winry decided she really didn't want to know as she opened her locker and took out her lunch.

As she walked outside, she looked around for Paninya, as that was who she usually ate with despite her recently foul personality, but the dark skinned girl was no where to be found. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her in any of their earlier classes either...

Her train of thought was interrupted by a loud,

"Fuck, I forgot my lunch."

She turned her head to look at him as Edward plopped down beside her, face sullen. It was apparent that he had been looking forward to the lunch period.

"Yo, Zombie, gimme some of yours," he extended a hand towards the paper bag at her side. "I'm starving to death here, dammit."

Deciding she wasn't likely eat to much of it anyway, Winry nodded and complied, taking each morsel out of the bag and laying it on the grass, with the exception of a roll, which hadn't been put in a container or plastic wrap. He snatched said baked good out of her hands and tore into it, his stomach rumbling loudly in appreciation. It seemed that he hadn't been lying when he explained that he was "starving."

Slightly surprised to find a plastic container filled with fried rice, Winry dug through the bag a little more and found a pair of chopsticks to eat it with. Well, she wasn't exactly skilled with them, and she would've perferred a spoon... She shrugged and popped the lid off of the fried rice and carefully began to eat, not especially caring when Edward kept stealing the different morsels that surrounded her in the grass. The fried rice would fill her up just fine.

Lunch ended soon after she finished, Edward already having left to go investigate a crowd of the usual class troublemakers when she stood to leave. The process of the students attempting to get back to their lockers was a slow one, and she was greeted with the sight of Alphonse and Mei kissing each other very thoroughly - directly blocking her locker door. After letting it continue for fifteen more seconds or so, she gave a little cough - the two pulled apart quickly in shock, faces glowing a faint red as they realized who had been watching.

"Oh, Winry," Alphonse waved sheepishly at her and scuttled out of the way, Mei close to his side.

"...dating?" she said faintly, proceeding to open her locker without looking at the two of them.

"Ah, yes, we are now," Mei announced, face a brilliant red despite the happy smile on her lips.

"I'm glad," Winry nodded, before pulling out a text book and another binder for Mathematics. By the time she had shut the metal door, the two were already gone, and with nothing better to do in the couple of minutes she had left until the next class, she started towards the classroom. She felt a bit intruiged by Alphonse's and Mei's sudden status, although it was nothing she shouldn't have expected - they had taken a liking to each other since day one.

Right before she stepped into the room, Winry thought she caught a glimpse of Paninya darting around a corner, but then the bell had rang and she hurried to her seat.

* * *

_Hooray, progress! Makes me happy.  
_


	36. Chapter 35

**Brief Commentary:**  
AGH SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER?! Ha ha ha, what am I talking about, it's the beginning of June. Heehee, silly me. :) Going to the beach next week, so updates could be either fast or slow...depending on how much time I get with my parents' laptops. I just hope that it rains once or twice. But I'm definitely going to try and update as much as possible, because I would love to try and get this thing at least 3/4 over with - its about 3/5 right now...  
Anyhow, review? :D

_Chorus romance says goodnight,  
close your eyes and I'll close mine  
Remember you, remember me,  
hurt the first, the last, between_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-Five_

A few days since the not so subtle announcement of Alphonse and Mei's relationship had passed, with still little to no sign of Paninya. Winry had thought she had seen her a few times, skirting around the halls or running around corners, but it could have simply been her imagination. With little better to do, and reluctant to allow her emotions to flow freely through her, Winry easily kept this off of her mind by burying herself in studying, although, as it was the beginning of the year, there wasn't quite so much to do. Pinako intervened little with her granddaughter's life, only to interrupt her when announcing dinner, or reminding her to go to bed at a proper hour.

The two women had grown used to their terms - they kept out of each others' way, only to step back in to do something helpful, something anyone else would've done without a second thought. They had adapted to the quietness in their small home, which may have once been extremely out of place, but was now accepted and expected regularly. The only loud source of noise that might explode without warning was when Pinako accidentally dropped a plate or pan, explaining to no one in particular that her shaking fingers were getting worse, or her arthritis must've been getting to her again.

Despite the silence they shared, Winry still felt obligated to be concerned about her grandmother, and kept her body on the alert for when she thought she might need some aid - whether it was to bend down to get a frying pan, or reach up into one of the cabnits to retrieve a jar (Pinako's diminutive stature already did little to help with this situation, even when she hadn't had problems like dropping things). Despite her small worries, which she had pressed up in a near by corner of her brain, definitely there but not so easy to notice, Winry realized without really trying to that this was doing nothing to improve their clipped relationship. But she found that even though she should, she really didn't want to mind, she didn't want to care.

This particular morning she woke up as usual; it was a Tuesday, and the week seemed to stretch out far ahead of her when she thought of it. She slipped out of her sweat pants and old t-shirt (it had belonged to her mother, but in its tattered condition it couldn't possibly be worn for any other purpose) and reached for her uniform. It was where it always was, neatly folded on her dresser along with a pair of socks, and once she had pulled the shirt over her head and the skirt around her waist, she felt her fingers fly mechanically to her hair brush, in its usual place by her hand mirror. She drew it through her tangled hair, sweeping it back into a high ponytail as she groped for a hair tie, which she found almost immediately.

Breakfast had become routine as well. By about the time she had finished upstairs, having pulled on her socks and collected her homework from the cramped desk in the corner, tempting smells from the kitchen/living room would begin to waft through the hall. Winry usually knew what she was having by the time she made it there, and this morning her assumption had been correct - homemade waffles smothered in cherry jam and syrup - something she had loved to eat since early childhood. She felt a little embarrassed, but also grateful, that Pinako had seemed to remember.

Winry acknowledged her grandmother with a nod of her head, trying to convey that she appreciated the food, and Pinako seemed to understand, as she nodded back and went to sit on the couch, newspaper in hand. She wished suddenly that it were Edward sitting there, but before she could fully realize the thought, it had flickered away and she found that she had frozen with her fork half-way to her mouth. The not-quite-seventeen year old shook her head and ate, stealing glances at the clock every now and again until it was time for her to leave.

She left quietly, feet guiding her on their own to the small storage shed where her bike was, the kick stand allowing it to lean towards the door on its own. The transition from walking to bicycling came as easy as breathing to Winry, who simply hoisted herself onto the seat, hands automatically reaching for the handle bars, feet on the peddles as she made her way out of the storage shed and onto the street. Easily by-passing a few slow moving cars, Winry inwardly mapped out her route to school, swerving to avoid a fellow bicyclist as she did so. She reached it within minutes.

The day went as predictably as ever, and she kept insisting to herself that she liked it that way. A small part of her, her boxed up, under-used feelings, Winry decided, protested this, but it was relatively simple to shove it away again. Opening her locker and stuffing away her binder and dropping her frequently-chewed pencil carelessly inside, a quick glance at her schedule informed her that her lunch period was next.

She had just pulled out the rumpled paper bag containing her lunch when the unmistakable form of Paninya stalked past her without even a glance. Winry's mouth fell open, and she felt as though she ought to say something like "Hello," or "Where've you been, Pan?" but found this to be simply too difficult. She abandoned that plan of action and allowed herself to follow her friend, feeling her nerves shiver with curiosity. This was bad, Winry considered, if she wanted to keep a strong reign in on her emotions, her caring. But the thought flitted away, and she was left to continue following Paninya.

The dark-skinned woman was making a bee-line straight for Alphonse, who was for once not with Mei. Perhaps the exchange student had left for the restroom or something, she thought, but then she remembered that she wasn't really supposed to care. Alphonse instead was in the company of a few of his other friends, looking at ease and relatively happy. A small part of Winry envied him.

"Al," Paninya said loudly, storming up to him (shoving aside more than a few guys in the process), "I need to talk to you. Now."  
"Paninya," he said her name in bewilderment, clearly surprised to see her. "Wow, it's been a while. Where have you been-"  
"Yeah, yeah, let's skip the pleasantries; it doesn't matter anyway, now _come on_," she interrupted him, ignoring the annoyed glares from Alphonse's other friends (Winry failed to recall their names) as she seized his wrist with both hands and began to drag him away.

Winry dutifully followed, murmuring a few apologies as she made her way through the oncoming crowds of people, forgetting the lunch in her hand as she kept her eyes trained on the brilliant color of Alphonse's hair, refusing to lose sight of it. After a minute or so, she found herself only thirty meters or so behind them, outside and away from anyone who might be eating their own lunches outside.

Keeping herself at a safe, curious distance, Winry watched in slight puzzlement as Paninya lead Alphonse into a slightly more secluded area. When they began talking, she couldn't help but edge closer in order to listen in on what they were saying. She had no good reason as to why she was doing this; Winry couldn't very well say that she wasn't interested in what was happening at all, or that she couldn't care less about Paninya or Alphonse.

"-is this all about, Paninya? And after not seeing you for so long-"  
"Oh, just shut up, Al," the dark-skinned girl grumbled, shoving Alphonse into a sitting position as she towered above him. "This is important, okay?"  
"Um, okay..."

Winry felt some little force inside her shudder in relief that the 'old Paninya' seemed to have returned, if not, as she looked more closely, much thinner than she remembered. Really thin...she seemed almost bony...

Paninya exhaled loudly, and, wiping her hands on the uniform's long skirt (it was getting colder every day), she inhaled again and announced,

"Y'know, Al, I really do love you."

There was a raging silence as Alphonse and Winry took this in. Winry had managed to keep a straight face despite the shock that was struggling to take over; Al was not quite so lucky.

"...um...Pan, I..."

"Yeah, it's really sudden, I know," Paninya shifted her gaze from Alphonse to glare at nothing, one of her hands going to her forehead to brush a few stray hairs out of her eyes. "You probably wish I hadn't said anything. I do, too, but my mom made me because I wasn't eating and she got mad, you know?"

"...Paninya, I'm really sorry...I'm already with Mei-"

"Pfft, duh. Of course I know, that's why I told you," she swallowed, "that I love you. But whatever, huh? Anyway, I'm getting pissed - why the hell am I so nervous? Agh, this sucks. Heh."

Alphonse's face, from what Winry could make out, had contorted into one of confusion and some deep sadness and hurt, but he seemed unable to say anything.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm acting like such a bitch, huh?" Paninya forced a grin, scrunching up her eyes, but the both of them had caught the flickering misery there. "You're probably really confused; hell, I am too. But hey, even thought I'm being so stupid, could we still be friends?"

"Friends? Are you sure?" Alphonse stood, and now it was Paninya's turn to be towered over. Had her body ever been that small and weak-looking? "Would you be able to live with that, Paninya?" His gaze softened, although pain still tore at his facial features.

"..." the dark-skinned woman paused, and glanced away from Alphonse. Her dark brown eyes looked a bit mystified as a small, sad smile found its way onto her lips. After another few moments of silence, she spoke again.

"It's fine. It wasn't really worth it, anyway, huh?"

It was then that Winry decided it would be best to reveal herself, quietly making her way out of her hiding place. Alphonse and Paninya's gazes quickly flickered to her, obviously startled, but they relaxed as soon as they realized who it was.

"Oh, Win, you saw that?" Paninya chuckled, voice a little shaky. She wondered if she imagined the fast swipe her friend made at her eyes. "How embarrassing..."

"Hey..." she waved a few fingers at them. "...sorry..."

"For what?" she shook her head fiercely, as if to clear it. "Come on, everyone needs to come hug their Pan. She's very sad, you know! Even you, Al; you can't escape hugging your Pan!"

She and Alphonse laughed quietly, while Winry allowed a smile. Paninya received a slightly unsteady embrace from the both of them at the same time, and collapsed into sad, gleeful laughter again.

* * *

_Not much to say...other than I will try to work on the next chapter A.S.A.P. I'm not even kidding this time.  
_


	37. Chapter 36

**Brief Commentary:**  
Hooray for relatively fast updates! I need to do these more often...didn't this series once update like, weekly? Wow...I wonder if I can ever go back to that. Oh, for those of you who cared to notice (probably about .05 of you), I've now changed my personal chapter requirements for RNFYE. Before, it was a minimum of 1,800+ words per chapter. Now, I have raised the minimum a little bit, so now it's at least 2,000+ words. But on a differing not - review? :DDD

_I see you lying next to me  
With words I thought I'd never speak  
Awake and unafraid,  
Asleep or dead?_

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**  
_Chapter Thirty-Six_

Winry couldn't help but admire Paninya's ability to get through the remainder of the day as if nothing had ever happened. Back-talking to teachers had never seemed to be her friend's forte, but she appeared to do this with ease when responding to questions about her absence and slightly tear-eyed, thin condition. Winry felt upset with herself for suddenly being so interested, so concerned about Paninya, when she had before been almost successfully swearing off any and all emotion, in her immature attempt to escape the "clutches of reality."

The other object of distraction from her preferred routine day experiences, a.k.a. Edward Elric, was being quite successful in his mission to complain to her to the ends of the earth. First and foremost, it was about his lack of lunch, made helpful by Winry's lack of actually going to lunch and allowing him to steal most of her food. But this was easy to ignore. However, if it wasn't the lunch, it was the homework, or the newly assigned English project, or the schedule, or even Mustang's attire. The last of the remarks earned him another shot in the face from Hawkeye, who now appeared to have an uncannily accurate sense of hearing.

Soon the last bell of the day rang, and students quickly flowed out of all of the classrooms, pushing Winry along far enough that she almost missed her locker. After a minute or so spent rummaging around, making sure she had all she needed for the evening, she slung her book bag over her shoulder and firmly closed the locker door, just in time for Paninya to pass her by. She caught her friend's eye at the last second, and the dark-skinned woman came to a stop, a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Win," she said, touching her arm. "Looks like I'm not the only one whose had a rough time. Sorry you had to see...that. Well...you wanna walk with me?"

Winry's skin felt warm where Paninya's hand lingered, and she nodded at the offer.

"Yeah," she murmured, and the two fell into step beside each other as they exited the school.

"So, what've I missed? Everyone has really changed..." Paninya mused, her breaths leaving soft clouds of hot air in the significantly cold weather. She tightened her sweatshirt around herself and glanced at Winry expectantly.

"Um..." she hesitated, wondering how she could explain in as few words as possible. "Edward...Al's brother...is now attending, you might've noticed..."

"That loud mouth? Huh...he's pretty stupid, but at least he's hot," her friend conceded. Winry's facial expression must've changed without her knowing, for Paninya laughed and corrected herself, "It's not like I'm interested in him, though; you realize I just confessed to Al today. Geez, Win."

"Oh, right, good," the words had tumbled out of her mouth before she could think, and she felt something akin to horror as she took in what she had just said. "I mean..."

The dark-skinned girl laughed again and waved her off.

"Ah, it's okay. So, what's up with you? You used to talk a lot, and now you're like...what, a robot? Or maybe a zombie...hm...it's close tie."

Winry found it ironic how Paninya and the stupid, hot loud mouth had said just about the same thing. Shaking her head, she mumbled,

"Nothing really happened...I'm always like this."

"I beg to differ, Win," Paninya rolled her eyes and gave her a playful shove. "You used to be a lot more vocal. So seriously, what's going on? Don't leave me out on a limb here."

"I told you, it's nothing..."

Her friend sighed, voice taking on a teasing note.

"Aww, you suck. I'll have to force you tell me - but some other day; this is my street. See you tomorrow, Win. Don't get stalked home!"

Winry offered a lopsided half-smile and shrugged, waving at Paninya as she turned to depart into her neighborhood. The young Rockbell woman continued down the street, somewhat satisfied with how early she would be arriving home for once. Even in her robotic state, she was blissfully unaware that Paninya's last parting sentence was one that was more easily said than done. Without noticing, Winry passed a young man who couldn't be a few days earlier than twenty-four, and was completely oblivious as he began to follow, eyes (they were green in color, and slightly wild) trained on her every movement. He stopped once they reached her neighborhood, and departed in the opposite direction. Winry wouldn't recall anything, not the way his walk was a bit of a swagger, his unkempt appearance, and the way he kept mumbling to himself as he walked off, glancing back at her every few seconds as if to confirm something.

She remembered none of it, only wondering approximately how long it might take for her to finish the homework that she had been assigned for that evening. It was clear that their Mustang-sensei was just as reluctant as to begin grading more papers as the students were to actually complete the assignments. Exhaling loudly as she reached the front door to the apartment, Winry smoothed down her skirt and resurrected her iron-grip on her composure, before inserting the key and slowly opening the door.

Winry had just walked in when the unmistakable shattering of a plate violently entered her ears, her body stiffening in for once, unmasked surprise. Her blue eyes swiveled around the room to land on her grandmother, who was muttering something to herself as she carefully stepped over the remains of one of their ceramic plates, intending to make for the hall closet; where they kept the broom.

"Baa-chan," Winry said softly, trying not to seem too concerned. "Everything is fine?"

Pinako looked up at her in surprise, before nodding her head.

"Just call me Butterfingers-san from now on...that's the fifth plate in the last two weeks. Damn fingers..."

"Well...be careful," she murmured, beating her grandmother to the closet and handing her the broom. She muttered her thanks and began back towards the kitchen/living room to clear up the mess, leaving Winry to retreat to her room in hopes to distract herself with homework. She had just closed her bedroom door when a loud coughing fit issued from Pinako, but after a period of silence, she shrugged it off and began to study.

* * *

Several more days had passed, leaving Winry with a terrible feeling of foreboding, as if something disastrous had been set to occur. It was maddening not knowing what it was, or what to expect, and even worse that she had to pretend not to do so. It was getting harder and harder to resist the insistent pull of emotions, no matter how often she reminded herself the simplicity and "happiness" she found in being without concern, without regard to the world and people around her.

It had also recently dawned on her that she felt as though whenever she went outside, she was being watched. She ignored it in favor of assuming that it was merely her imagination, struggling to make a come back into her life, but she still felt a deep chill in her bones that wasn't from the unusually frigid October weather.

As she clambered onto her bike early one Friday morning, she shrugged off her subconscious uneasiness and began on the usual route to school, hoping the day would pass as smoothly and as dully as possible. She didn't want excitement in her life, it was just a nuisance. She spent the whole ride to the high school trying to convince herself of this, without even really realizing it.

The first person she laid eyes on when she walked through the doors was Alphonse, who looked quite exhausted. She sent him a questioning glance, which he did not see, so she merely shrugged and trailed along behind him until they reached their lockers. Winry wondered how Paninya would be holding up, if she even bothered to come to school that day. Ever since her friend's little "confession," both Alphonse and herself had looked more and more tired every day. Winry stiffened as she realized that she was feeling concerned again, and angrily shook her head to try and clear it. This failed to work, and, exhaling loudly, she entered her locker combination and opened it, setting herself to retrieve her English homework from her book bag and pull out her English binder from the locker's shelf. The chewed pencil (which was starting to look brittle; it had so many bite marks) was slipped into its usual place, and she shut the locker door.

It was suddenly loud in the narrow hallway, and it wasn't hard to find that the source of all the noise came from Edward Elric, who was arguing with a few other guys Winry thought she recognized from a few of the classes they shared. The arguing wasn't serious, although with their raised voices and "joking" shoves and elbowing, it seemed as though it just could be. Edward looked as though he were being mobbed, but by cheerful spectators, and even though he had a scowl on his face, it was clear that he was enjoying himself.

"Yup, he's turned out to be pretty popular," she mumbled, turning away before the risk of making eye-contact with him rose. It wasn't like she didn't like talking to him - he was a wonderful distraction, but often he could be too distracting. His appearance, for one. Recently, he had begun to look somewhat physically appearing to her. Even behind the school's uniform, Winry had begun to notice the subtle flexing of his muscles, even when he made casual movements. His face, for once unclouded by hate and mistrust, now seemed a tad kinder, more human. And as always, his golden hair and eyes never failed to present her with a god-like illusion of him on the occasion that they made eye contact while speaking.

Realizing how far her thoughts had drifted, Winry rubbed at her eyes in exasperation and set off for the classroom, intending to get there early enough so that she wouldn't have to deal with Edward Elric for another ten minutes or so.

The day passed slowly, for once in its usual, uneventful rut. She felt somewhat pleased at this, and was so out-of-it (as she preferred) that she nearly forgot to eat. Not that there was much left after Edward had eaten his "share," but Winry found she couldn't care. Or was it she didn't mind when it came to him, because...?

No, no, it was because she couldn't care.

And so the day ended dully, and Winry couldn't have felt more contented with this as she hoisted her book bag over her shoulder and closed her locker door and made her way outside, alone. It was with some dismay that she realized it had begun to rain, and not only was it raining; it was _pouring_. And once again, she found herself with out an umbrella. At the very least, she had a jacket this time, and quickly adjusting herself so that her book bag was beneath it, Winry clambered onto her wet bicycle and set for home, her head lowered against the chilling breeze as she went. At least the longest part of the day had gone as she wished; nothing out of the ordinary, everything dull and tedious. She could deal with that.

But little did Winry know that within the next thirty minutes or so of her life, things were going to change drastically.

* * *

_Gah ha ha, some kind of lame cliff hanger. Yay! I'll update...when I can. :( With sncnhnononl right around the corner, it's going to get much harder to do so.  
_


	38. Chapter 37

**Brief Commentary:**  
Isn't this just peachy?

'Death is the Road to Awe' by Clint Mansell plsu. Also a few various Japanese songs and 'Speeding Cars.'

_Now, now darling,  
Oh, don't lose your head  
'Cause none of us were angels  
And you know I love you, yeah..._

* * *

**Reasons Not For Your Ears**_  
Chapter Thirty-Seven_

Winry silently climbed the stairs in the apartment building, shoving wet hair and bangs out of her face and unable to suppress a cold shiver. She had become completely soaked in the time it had taken her to get back home, and she was already planning out a nice, hot bath. Forced to take the jacket draped over her book bag off, and the book bag off of her back, it took her a minute or two to fumble through the various things in it in order to find the apartment room's key.

The key made a quiet click as it unlocked the door. Winry was greeted with an unusually loud silence as she entered; all of the lights were off, not a sound being made except for the soft scuffle of her shoes on the floor. This was strange...a balance was off, somehow, and she could feel a small bit of herself quivering in fear and anticipation. She set her book bag onto the coffee table in the kitchen/living room (Pinako had acquired it recently), and began a search through the apartment. Her grandmother was _always_ home at this time of day._ Always._

Little pinpricks of terror danced across Winry's skin as she walked back out from the bedrooms, the bathroom, even the hall closet, to reach the kitchen/living room once again. Pinako hadn't been anywhere, and she found herself much too distracted by this to properly push away her fear. She had just made a quick search around the living room-like area with the same results, and now the teenager found herself turning to the kitchen - her grandmother's element. The tiny island in the center seemed to stand proudly, as if daring her to look behind it.

Her footsteps felt heavy as she approached the kitchen, her shoes making a haunting clicking noise on the suddenly tile floor. As she turned to glimpse behind the counter, Winry knew she was expecting the worst.

And she received it.

Her heart was suddenly thrumming very loudly in her ears, her brain feeling as though it were knocking around in her skull, and the feelings she had been keeping locked up for so very long crying out at her, begging to be released. Voices from long-forgotten memories screamed in her ears, invisible hands touching her in places of comfort and in places where no one ought to venture. She thought she heard herself give a hoarse little moan, but with all of the noise in her head, she could not tell.

_Winry!_

_Winry...!!_

_I said...not to move, didn't I? ...You shouldn't be screaming...either._

_It's okay, I'm here, Winry, I love you._

_WINRY!!_

_I'm sorry, sixteen. Either way you will be dead._

_You're safe now, Winry, don't worry..._

_That's not funny, Win._

_Winry-san! Hello there! Are you quite all right?_

_Don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter, don't you dare...!!_

_Winry?_

_I **killed** them, those sons of bitches!_

_Winry, where are you?_

_Winry..._

Her emotions whirled through her head in an explosion of colors and shapes, Winry feeling tears streak down her face as she began to vomit. Palms smacking the floor, her body shook with a sudden wave of adrenaline, and her stomach continuously found more and more things for it to reject as she tried to tell herself that it was all a hallucination, this wasn't happening.

_I love you so much, Winry._

_I've been waiting for this day for five years..._

But her sudden waves of grief and terror overpowered these thoughts; her body was so unused to them that she began to wail aloud. Winry shivered as a hand touched her inner thigh for a flicker of a second before disappearing, the last of the vomit hitting the kitchen tiles before she used a shaky hand to snatch a dishtowel off of the floor and wipe her mouth. Still wailing, still crying, she attempted to rise to her feet, ignoring the feel of a hand on her shoulder as she did so.

_Winry, go give your Baa-chan a hug!_

_I'm so proud of you,_

_WINRY._

She felt like a little child as her palms went to wipe away her tears, her mouth continuously making nonsensical noises that sounded like crosses between hiccuping and screeching. She forced her eyes to lead themselves back to the kitchen floor, as if to better accept her realization. Winry felt like vomiting all over again as she stared, turning away at the last minute. Her emotions, her feelings, her thoughts, her happy memories...they were all back, violently pushing away her "no emotion logic," triggered by only one thing.

Pinako Rockbell was dead.

* * *

Winry didn't know why she was out, alone in the rain, running. Her mind had given her a stupid solution, and she had followed it without a moment's hesitation. She had raced out of her apartment, probably forgetting to lock or even close the door behind her. Not caring as her clothes and hair once again became soaked with the rain water, and thankful that the rain would disguise her tears from passerby, she only had one objective in mind.

She had to find him. She didn't know where he was, and the city was huge, but she needed him suddenly, with a longing and a heart-breaking sadness she had not previously been aware of. At least, not to the degree of strength it was at now. Her feet had taken her in the direction of the mansion, and she hoped she could still be able to find him on the street, not in the huge house he lived in. Her breathing was shallow and painful, and her legs were aching, feet struggling for a grip on the slick cement. More than once already she had fallen over, possibly spraining one of her arms, but she didn't care.

Where was he?

Where was - oh.

There.

She had probably scared the ever-living shit out of him, barreling into him like that, but she didn't care. Winry pressed into him, ignoring his demands of "What the fuck?" as she breathed in his noticeably fainter cigarette smell. He grasped her shoulders tightly, and pushed her away so that he could look at her. Edward's yellow eyes were narrowed with irritation and curiosity at the redness of her face. It seemed he could tell her tears apart from the rain.

"Hey...zombie..." his voice softened, "What the hell happened?"

Winry's fingers trembled as she clutched at the material of his school uniform, which was as wet as hers. Her mouth opened uselessly; it took her a minute to regain her voice.

"S-she's...she's dead, she's dead and I'm so stupid...she's dead..." she cried, hardly able to see past her tears. "She's dead, she's dead..."

He seemed to know who "she" was without need for explanation, and with a small sigh, he released her shoulders. Edward stared at the pavement for a few moments, before beckoning her to come closer. Winry did so without hesitation, throwing her arms around his torso as his came to circle his own around her back and head. The position was a bit uncomfortable - she was leaning over with her nose slightly meshed against his chest, but this was good enough for her as she allowed herself to cry, regretting and remembering, remembering and regretting. And Edward, he just stood there with her in his arms, and let her do so.

"I never...I never said anything...I just..I ne-...n-never said 'I love you,' or anything, and we had st-stopped talking...I'm so a- aw-awful...I'm sure she hated me when she d-died...I...I never s-said...n-never...no, I j-just.."

After fifteen to twenty minutes, Winry's sobbing subsided, and she timidly looked up at him. His gaze was careful and unusually warm and sympathetic, and she felt herself hug him harder. Edward returned the gesture, and she wondered if she was imagining the feeling of lips in her hair.

"I'm really sorry, zombie," he murmured, his voice nearly lost in the soft whisper of rain. "Really sorry. It sucks to have people you care about die, I know... Sure, I didn't lose both my parents, and I've never known my grandparents... Still sucks, though..."

She nodded, finding that she couldn't speak any more. The rain was still falling, and Winry realized how unbearably cold it was outside - the only source of heat available was Edward, but she wasn't sure it would be okay to get any closer than she was now...

Edward was thinking differently, apparently - she felt his hands slide to the sides of her head, and he lifted her face towards his. Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched as he pressed his chapped lips to her own. As the memory of the first "kiss" flooded back into her mind, she realized that this wasn't as hard, as forced, as needy. Granted, there was still a great pressure and it seemed a bit awkward...but it would do.

A soft warmth began to flow through her, originating from each place they were touching. The rain couldn't bother her now, and the paralyzing grief of her grandmother's death had been temporarily forgotten as she slowly returned the gesture. She tried to suppress her own smile as she felt the corners of his mouth turn up a bit, but it didn't work.

* * *

Once Winry had called the hospital, Pinako's body had been taken in for examination. The causes for death had been simultaneous heart and lung failure, and apparently the unhealthy conditions of the aforementioned organs originated quite some time before that.

The young Rockbell woman wondered if she'd ever be able to stop hating herself for how she had treated her grandmother prior to her death. Had Pinako understood that she still loved her? Had her grandmother still loved _her? _Winry began to cry again at the thought, and even the close presences of Edward and Alphonse (who had quickly been notified) were of little consolation.

But besides her emotional concerns, Winry was also worried about where and with whom she would live. Pinako had been the last of her close family, the rest being distant cousins, aunts, and uncles who she had never met before in her life. She didn't want to move away from the apartment - she rather enjoyed how small it was, and it would be torturous to leave behind her friends and everything that had occurred in this strange city.

She had quietly voiced this issue to Alphonse, who had retained a thoughtful look on his face for the past few minutes, deep in thought. The three of them still sat in the hospital waiting room, in case any other news surrounding Pinako's death would be released. So far, the only other news was that she had sustained a minor head injury when she had collapsed to the floor, but it would not have been lethal if she hadn't had her heart and lung failure.

Winry glanced over at the younger Elric when he made a small sound of satisfaction, her expression tired and desperate. When Alphonse had shown up to meet them, the relief on his face when he saw that she was actually crying over her grandmother's death was astounding - he had hugged her as well and murmured a mixture of "Thank God," and "I'm so sorry, Winry."

"Winry, it's quite simple," Alphonse told her cheerfully. "I'll buy the apartment building, and you can remain there, as long as you continue to pay the rent. You won't have to worry about your age, and if you have financial problems, I'll help you out. Is that alright?"

She stared, mouth opening and closing like a fish's. She had quite stupidly forgotten how rich the Elrics were.

* * *

_I think I really rushed this chapter... For those of you who complain that this story is very slow paced, this is a prime example as to why I make it slow paced.  
_


End file.
